[Pokémon] Eon Chronicles

New chapter time. Hope I'm getting better at catching grammar mistakes...

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Chapter Eight

Ren could tell as he ran up to Kairn's Houndour that it was in bad condition. Latias was by his side in moments as he knelt next to the injured pokemon, stroking its fur. Houndour was very cold: it had been nearly frozen from wandering around in the snow.

"That Houndour looks terrible," Latias thought to Ren. "We should get him inside, where it's warmer," she continued, looking worriedly at the injured pokémon before them.

"Go tell Griffith what's happening," Ren said, slowly picking up Houndour, trying not to hurt him further. "I'll carry him to the cottage."

Latias flew swiftly over to Griffith and thought-spoke to him for a few moments before they both rushed inside. Ren slowly made his way to the front door of the cottage, cradling Houndour's limp form in his arms. The pokémon was still breathing, but just barely. His life force was ebbing quickly as Ren stepped into the warm interior of Griffith's home.

Griffith had already gathered together a large amount of blankets made from Mareep's wool in front of the fireplace and was now stoking the blaze inside. Ren placed Houndour on top of the soft pile of blankets and began to wrap him in their warmth. Houndour's eyes opened for a moment, gazing at Ren. They were bloodshot and swollen, but he seemed to be aware of what was happening. His eyes then closed as he fell into a shallow and restless sleep, his body and mind fighting a silent battle against weakness and injury to stay alive.

Latias approached Houndour's still form, lightly pressed Ren aside, and gently placed the pad of one foreclaw on the pokémon's forehead. She closed her eyes for a few moments, concentrating. Then she opened her eyes, and turned her feathered head to Ren.

"He is very weak, but not entirely gone," she thought to him, her tone solemn and matter of fact. "He has at least a chance at recovering. All we can do now is to give whatever aid we can and see if he pulls through."

Ren nodded, and looked down at Houndour's sleeping form. The pokemon shivered from time to time, as though it was still outside in the cold.

"Ren," Latias broke into the boy's thoughts abruptly, startling him. He turned to her, wondering at the grave tone she had adopted into her voice. She continued to think to him, her eyes revealing pain mixed with anger. "I just talked with Houndour in his mind to help me decide whether he is strong enough to live. While I was doing this, I discovered that his injuries are not only physical, but mental as well." She paused, staring deep into Ren's eyes. He grew more uncomfortable with each passing second.

"This Houndour was not hurt by natural means," she continued, her stare penetrating to his soul. "From what I gathered from his recent memory, he was kicked rather viciously by a human being. He's traumatized from that experience, and it may inhibit his recovery. Do you wish to tell me anything, Ren?"

Ren realized that Latias knew he had kicked Houndour as the creature tried to steal his food. She had become worried that he was not as kind as she thought him to be; that his character was tainted. He felt their trust, developed over just two days, slipping away.

"Latias, you…you don't understand…I…" he stammered, trying to tell her that his actions had been necessary given the circumstances. Kairn would have ordered his Houndour to do whatever it took to get the box of candy. He had acted on impulse: both to save himself and to resist Kairn's domination.

"What don't I understand, Ren?" Latias thought to him, her tone growing more and more harsh. "You kicked this Houndour. He is near death. What is there not to know?"

Ren took a deep breath, recollecting his composure. Latias' sudden outburst had unsettled him, and he worked hard to regain control. "Houndour was under the command of his master at the time, Latias, a boy named Kairn," He paused to reassure himself that Latias was listening. She was, though she still regarded him with judgmental eyes. He decided to continue anyways. "Kairn was trying to steal my family's food. This was not the first time; he has done it often in the past. He ordered his Houndour to take it from me, and I decided that in order to save my family from starving, I would have to stand up to Kairn, even if that meant I had to hurt Houndour in the process. I didn't want to do it, but I couldn't think of any other way."

Ren saw Latias' face visibly change as her anger was replaced with surprise. "I…I'm sorry, Ren," she thought to him. "I didn't even stop to think about why you would have acted the way you did. I didn't think that maybe I was jumping to conclusions and that you were acting that way because you had to. Now that you have told me, I realize that I shouldn't have assumed so much." She hung her head. "I feel so foolish…" she trailed off.

"It's fine, Latias," Ren said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I can understand why you would react this way. Seeing anyone acting cruelly to any pokémon must be hard for you. It would be hard for me, too." He paused as Latias looked up at him. "And don't worry," he continued. "I would never do anything like that to you. Nor would I do it again, unless I had no other choice."

Latias nodded, showing she understood, her face registering calm. Ren stroked her feathers as they stood and hovered next to Houndour's resting place.

Griffith then moved from the corner of the room where he had been quietly working. He was holding a tiny bowl of green liquid, and as he approached, he gave the bowl to Ren. "This is an ancient recipe handed down in the Eon Chronicles," he said, looking at the boy. "It is called Potion, and it helps wounds heal at a miraculous rate. I would like you to give some of this to Houndour. It may help him recover."

Ren looked at the bowl of liquid he held in his hands. It had a faint odor that reminded him of how wet earth smelled after a freshly fallen rain. He dipped his fingers into the bowl, tainting them green with the mixture inside. His hands tingled in a curious way as he knelt beside Houndour and began to spread the soothing balm over the pokémon's body. Houndour stirred slightly at the boy's touch before becoming still again. Ren worked slowly, gently applying the Potion to each of Houndour's many wounds. When he was finished, Griffith handed him a wet rag with which to clean his hands.

Afterward, Latias, Ren, and Griffith all decided that they had seen enough excitement for one day, and that they would continue training tomorrow. The man and boy ate dinner at the table in the dining room while Latias feasted on meat from a bird pokemon she had caught in the forest. While eating, they conversed about the day's events: the humans using their voices, and Latias using her mind. Finally, as the sunlight waned, they all went to bed.

That night, as Latias lay curled up on the floor nestled in a soft pile of sheets next to his cot, Ren kept himself awake thinking about many things. The thing he most thought about was why Houndour had appeared without his master. He knew the two were inseparable: no matter how cruel Kairn became, he would never even think about hurting his pokemon. The only explanation Ren could come up with for why Kairn was missing was that he had been injured.

Or killed. Ren shuddered and pushed the thought from his mind, deciding that Kairn was probably just lost and had sent Houndour ahead of him to find their way home. He held that thought in his mind until he passed into sleep, his facial expressions becoming peaceful to match those of his sleeping companion.

***

Kairn had walked for another day without finding his companion. His throat was lacerated from calling out Houndour's name. The rest of the boy's body was in similar shape: he was nearly delirious from malnutrition and lack of rest, and had begun to see things that he thought couldn't exist.

As he walked through the forest in the dark that night, faces and shapes began to appear out of the evening mist. He thought he saw Houndour many times, but the pokémon's figure would soon fade. He saw other things as well; things he couldn't identify. Strange creatures watched him with glowing eyes that winked out as he approached, and small sounds came from all around him, making him become very uneasy.

As he continued to walk, the things Kairn saw grew more and more frightening. Dark figures would suddenly run across his path, startling him. Things would brush up against his clothes, but when he turned, nothing would be there. Giant, indistinguishable shapes loomed out of the gloom on the fringes of darkness.

Kairn began to walk quickly through the forest, and then broke into a run, desperate to escape its wild and horrifying secrets. He ran for a long time before he crested a small mound and saw lights ahead of him. He fled towards the lights, hoping to find a place where he would be safe from the things hiding in the oppressing darkness.

What he found was a small cottage in a clearing. The light was coming from windows that were faintly illuminated from the inside, possibly by candles or a fireplace. Kairn sprinted up to the cottage, crossed the front porch, and fell against the door, unconscious. His body could take no more.

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Wow. The forums kinda exploded there for a while. I couldn't even get on. What's up with that? Ah well. New Chapter time.

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Chapter Nine

Ren awoke to a loud thumping noise in the middle of the night. He sat up on his cot as Latias roused sleepily next to him, also awakened by the sound. He kept still for a few moments, his mind quickly coming fully awake, his heart racing. He stared into the darkness for a few moments, trying to identify where the sound had come from. Finally, he swung his legs over the side of the cot, stood, and tiptoed into the adjoining room, touching Latias reassuringly on the head as he went by. He did this as much to calm himself as to calm her.

As he crept into the living room, Ren's eyes adjusted to the faint moonlight streaming through the windows. He stood in the center of the living space for a short while until he could see clearly. He decided that the sound had come from the front door, so he quietly walked to it. Latias came up silently behind him as he nervously placed his hand on the door's metal knob and turned it.

The latch of the door disengaged with a clicking sound, and Ren eased it open. However, the door had moved no more than a few inches before it pressed against something and stopped. Ren held his breath and stood absolutely still for a few harrowing seconds. When nothing happened, he pushed harder against the door, and then yet harder as the door stubbornly stayed partially closed. Latias soon joined him, placing both forelegs on the un-giving door and shoving her weight against it, hind claws digging into the wood flooring.

Suddenly, something behind the door moved, and it flew open with a resounding bang before Ren and Latias' combined efforts. They both fell forward as the door gave way and landed sprawling across the threshold. Ren lay on the ground a few moments before he picked himself up on his hands and knees and then stood brushing himself off. Latias simply floated a few feet upwards.

As he patted the dust from his clothing, Ren looked around for the object that had been blocking his exit. His hands froze in mid-motion when he saw Kairn's crumpled body, hidden half out of view behind the open door. At first, Ren thought that Kairn had been holding the door closed, and that he was going to jump out to scare Ren. However, Kairn did not move, and he seemed to be lying in an unnatural position. He also wouldn't have known that Ren was here, and so wouldn't have come this far into the woods.

Ren cautiously approached Kairn, pulled the door away from him, and knelt beside him. Kairn's eyes were closed, and he did not register any response as Ren drew near: he simply lay still, as though dead. Ren touched his shoulder, and then began to shake him gently when he still did not respond.

"Kairn?" Ren spoke, his face close to the other boy's. When he still did nothing, Ren began to grow more earnest in his attempts to revive him. "Kairn!" he shouted loudly, shaking the other boy more and more earnestly. "Wake up! Kairn!"

Kairn's head rolled to one side, and his parched, chapped lips parted to reveal a tongue in similar condition. Ren began to feel sick, and turned his head away from Kairn's ruined face. Just then, Griffith spoke behind him. He had come outside, and Ren had been so preoccupied that he didn't notice the man standing there.

"He's unconscious, Ren, not dead," Griffith said, much to the boy's relief. "See there? His chest moves slightly when he breathes. Let's take him inside. I have a cot set up for him already."

Ren helped Griffith carry Kairn's limp form inside while Latias followed behind them. They placed Kairn on a cot that Griffith had situated next to Houndour's resting place. Griffith layered a few blankets over Kairn that he had taken from Houndour: they were hot due to the fire poke'mon's warmth. Frost that had been clinging to the boy's body from outside soon melted away.

Latias floated between her two companions and placed a foreleg on Kairn's brow, repeating the procedure she had used with Houndour. She closed her eyes and stayed perfectly still for most of what seemed like hours to Ren. Every once in a while, however, she would flinch, as though in pain, and Ren would start towards her. He did not understand why she did this, but he felt sharp fear every time she suddenly moved.

Latias eventually opened her eyes. Ren noticed that they lacked their usual luminescence: they seemed less bright than before.

"This boy has been through many hardships," Latias though to both Griffith and Ren. She sounded very tired, as though her actions had drained her strength immensely. "He is in a similar state to Houndour, who is his partner, as I have learned. They have both wandered through the woods for a long while. Apparently, Kairn first abandoned Houndour…" at this point Ren's eyes grew wide "…and Houndour wandered aimlessly until he found his way here. Later, Kairn thought better of his actions, and came to find Houndour."

Latias seemed to finish, and grew silent for a moment, but then continued after a short time. "There is a complication, one I have not discovered until now," she thought-spoke to her companions. "Both Houndour and Kairn have lost their wills to live." Ren and Griffith both gave her their full attention as she continued. "Houndour looked to Kairn for direction before their separation. He saw Kairn as a friend, as well as a master. Now that Kairn has broken their trust, Houndour feels lost. He would hardly speak with me when I counseled him, and I doubt he will trust anyone before it's too late."

She turned her head from the pokemon to the boy lying close by. "Kairn, on the other hand, looked to Houndour to offer him help during his times of need," she thought. "They both were homeless before their separation, and Kairn needed Houndour to help him find food and to keep him company. Without Houndour, Kairn feels empty. He does not know how he could survive without his companion, and quite frankly, he doesn't want to."

Latias now regarded Ren. "This will make their healing process very difficult," she thought to him. "If they do not wish to live, their bodies will have a hard time working around their minds. Most of their survival depends on them having the urge to stay alive. Without that, I'm afraid they don't have much of a chance," she finished.

The boy and man stood silently as Latias hovered next to them, all contemplating the fates of the two creatures before them. So ironic, Latias thought to herself. Kairn and Houndour were side by side, and yet with no way to know this, they could be destroyed by their thoughts of never seeing each other again. What could be done, though? There was no way to show them that they were together.

Ren was the first to speak after a long pause. "If Kairn and Houndour know they are together, won't it restore their will to live?" he asked, a questioning look on his face.

"Yes, but we have no way to show them," Latias thought back.

"What if you speak with both of them at once? What if you allow them to talk to each other through your mind?"

Latias started at Ren's idea. She had never thought of it before, and there was no record of such an occurrence in the Eon Chronicles. "I wouldn't know how to do that, but I could try," she thought to him. "Bring them closer together," she told her companions.

Griffith pulled Kairn's cot over to Houndour's side and stepped away. Latias floated between the two unconscious beings, one human, one pokemon, and placed her forelegs on both of their foreheads. She closed her eyes, and then tensed with concentration.

Suddenly her eyes opened: they were a livid, glowing gold. She arched her neck backwards, eyes pointing unseeingly towards the ceiling. She was in obvious pain. Ren jumped forward, fear instantly overtaking him. He placed a hand on her neck as he raced forward, and a sudden rush of energy flooded into his arm and throughout his body. His mind erupted into a storm of sound and color, and then all went black as he fell to the floor without catching himself.

***

Ren came to on his cot. As his eyes focused to daylight streaming into the room, he noticed movement near his resting place. Latias' head lifted into view from where she had been sleeping by his side. "It worked, Ren," she thought to him, her eyes having returned to their normal shining quality. "Kairn and Houndour know of each other's presence. They are fighting despite all odds to heal and awaken."

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Yes, PC died. =[ What a shame.

Anyway, so Houndour AND Kairn are found now . . . guess they found what they both wanted, at least (each other).

My only problem:

Apparently, Kairn first abandoned Houndour…" at this point Ren's eyes grew wide "…and Houndour wandered aimlessly until he found his way here. Later, Kairn thought better of his actions, and came to find Houndour."

Click to expand...

Can't just put the "at this point Ren's eyes grew wide" smack dab in the middle. >> If you put dashes--like this--then I think it could work.

Also, Ren's opinions on Kairn caring about Houndour would have been nice. I have a bad memory.. I'm sorry.. but I think Ren didn't think Kairn liked Houndour at all.

Anyway, I'm eager to see if Kairn or Houndour survive now that they know what's going on.
:)

In Chapter Eight:

*The thing he most thought about was why Houndour had appeared without his master. He knew the two were inseparable: no matter how cruel Kairn became, he would never even think about hurting his pokemon. The only explanation Ren could come up with for why Kairn was missing was that he had been injured.

Or killed. Ren shuddered and pushed the thought from his mind, deciding that Kairn was probably just lost and had sent Houndour ahead of him to find their way home. He held that thought in his mind until he passed into sleep, his facial expressions becoming peaceful to match those of his sleeping companion.*

Hope that helps ;)

This is really good. You have Ren training, but it's come to a halt by the arrival of Houndour and Kairn. To me, it's the last two that have the more interesting story. I guess it's made better because Ren is seeing them in a different light, now knowing that Kairn's life has been horrible as well.

If there were grammar errors, I didn't spot any. That's how good your story is! I'm too engrossed in finding out what will happen to keep my editing skills on top!

This is great! Hope to see some more chapters throughout the time I'm reading others! :3 (I won't comment on any specific chapters, or else it'd take up the whole 2nd page... it's great, though!)

Wow! This is quite high praise I'm getting! Glad you all like it so much. Here's the next chapter.

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Chapter Ten

Ren and Latias continued their training as Houndour and Kairn healed. Ren grew more and more comfortable with his blade, learning advanced sword techniques quickly, while Latias developed her flying skills. At night, as Ren slept, Latias taught him the entirety of the Eon Chronicles they had by reciting each book to him through their telepathic connection.

In this way, Ren learned many things about the Eon Family and its history. He learned that they were an ancient race of feathered dragons, and that they had many strange and wondrous powers. He also learned that they continued to grow throughout their lifetime: rapidly at first, and then more and more slowly as time went on. He learned that their primary defenses were a set of sharp, small claws, their ability to camouflage themselves, and a strange property in their feathers that allowed them to retain and channel intense light.

This he found most interesting. The light could be stored in their bodies to produce warmth, given off in small amounts to brighten dark places, or released all at once in a powerful blast of energy. Ren learned that in very rare instances, a member of the Family would exhibit a very strong affinity towards light, allowing them to control it and store it far better than their other family members. Ren wondered if Latias had this special ability, but nothing she had done previously indicated such a talent.

Griffith deemed that Ren and Latias would soon be ready to search for the missing Eon Chronicles. He began to train them harder: their sessions ran longer and they were more intense. Both Ren and Latias felt exhausted after each one, but they could tell that their bodies and abilities were growing strong.

***

Kairn awoke to a soft light on his eyelids. He lifted his head slightly as his eyes grew accustomed to his surroundings, and looked around. The light's source was a window across from him in a room he did not recognize. He sat up, and then fell back onto a soft mattress when his head began to throb. He at first panicked, unsure of where he was. Then he slowly remembered that he had been searching for his Houndour, and had wandered to a cottage, which must be where he was now.

Houndour. The thought of his pokemon made Kairn try to get up a second time, only to fall back again. He knew his Houndour was close: their minds had somehow been linked while they were asleep, and they had talked to each other.

They had talked. Kairn's eyes filled with tears, but he was smiling. No improvised gestures, no barking, no guesswork...they had actually held a real conversation. Well, no, that wasn't true. They had been talking to each other, Kairn in the human tongue, Houndour in the pokémon dialect, and something had translated for both of them, helping the other understand. Kairn had apologized profusely for abandoning Houndour, who had seemed to forgive him instantly.

The voice that had translated for them told them that they were unconscious, but that they were together. It also told them that they were in grave danger: their bodies had been wasted by their respective wanderings. However, their spirits were renewed by hearing from each other, and they healed quickly, fighting to regain consciousness and to see each other again. Kairn had woken first, and now looked to his side, where Houndour rested peacefully. The boy choked back tears, both of sorrow for what he had done and for joy at how their ordeal had ended.

He silently thanked the anonymous being that had reunited them, even though he didn't know its name. A red winged angel, with golden eyes.

***

Ren walked into the living room that morning, clad in armor and ready for the day's training, only to notice that Kairn was out of his cot, sitting next to Houndour. The pokémon had just begun to wake up, and Kairn didn't even notice Ren approach as he pet Houndour's dark head. Ren stood a good distance behind Kairn and Houndour, eyeing them both. Then he quietly walked outside, not wanting to disturb them.

Ren quickly went over to where Griffith and Latias were engaged in her flying lesson. Griffith was having her perform complex aerial maneuvers as he cut large sections of leather for a saddle.

"Kairn is awake," Ren said, stopping a few paces from his companions. Latias landed as he continued. "And Houndour is just waking up. Whatever you did, Latias, it worked."

Before Ren even finished speaking, Griffith jumped up and began to run towards the cottage without saying a word. Ren began to follow, but Latias called him back to her. "Hold on, Ren," she thought to him. "I can't show myself to anyone just yet. I'll need to disguise myself. Wait a moment."

With that, Latias floated to the ground and reared up on her hind legs. Her feathers ruffled as she began to change appearance: her body seemed to waver and melt away into bright light before her normal figure was replaced by that of a girl about Ren's age. Her hair was red, her skin very fair. She had a small red triangle on her forehead, and her eyes retained their golden color. She wore a small amount of dull-looking armor, similar to Ren's.

Once her disguise was complete, Latias and Ren continued into the cottage. Griffith had already prepared food for Kairn and Houndour, who where now eating with voracious appetites. All three looked up at them as they entered.

"Good to see you alive," Ren said, facing Kairn. He was unsure, however, whether he was really addressing Houndour. He and Kairn didn't get along so well, after all, and he would not be quick to forgive. Their eyes locked.

What Kairn did next astonished him. The other boy stood up from the place he was seated, walked up to Ren, and bowed low before him. "I beg your forgiveness, Ren," Kairn said, staying bowed. "You helped heal me, even after I beat you up and stole your food. I don't know why you did that, but it made me feel terrible." The boy looked up. His features appeared calm, but his skin was pale and his eyes betrayed pain and fear. "I wasn't worthy of your help. I shouldn't be alive."

Ren was speechless. By saying he shouldn't live, the other boy was implying that his life belonged to Ren: he continued to exist because of Ren's care, and thus his future was entirely in the boy's hands. How could anyone respond to such a statement? Ren thought for a long time before speaking. "Stand up, Kairn," he ordered at last. The other boy straightened his back, eyes leveling with Ren's. He still looked fearful, but also resolved. He would take whatever came next with bravery. Ren slowly reached for his sword, and pulled it out of its sheath, its beautiful metal ringing long and loud in the silence that followed. Griffith and Latias took a step closer, both very tense. They didn't want this situation to end the way it seemed to be heading.

Ren kept his eyes focused on the sword, deciding what to do, until Kairn began to grow uncomfortable. The other boy shook noticeably; his hands were literally dripping sweat.

Ren looked Kairn in the eyes and spoke, breaking the silence. "You're forgiven," he said. Kairn's eyes grew wide as Ren re-sheathed his sword and continued speaking. "I think you've learned your lesson from wandering around in the forest for so long. You almost died out there, just to find the pokemon that you abandoned." He glanced at Houndour, and then looked back to Kairn. "That shows me you may have changed. I hope so, for both our sakes."

He leaned towards Kairn, his voice dropping to a whisper. "If I ever find out that you've abused any person or pokémon again, I won't be so easy on you. Understand?"

Kairn nodded sincerely. "Good," Ren said. "You can go."

"Wait!" Latias thought to Ren. "He has something…something in his pocket! Ask him what it is!"

Ren stopped Kairn as he turned to leave. "What's in your pocket?" He asked.

Kairn gave the other boy a puzzled look, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the blue and white stone. It was glowing ever so faintly. He stared at it with an even more confused expression as he answered. "This…?" his voice trailed off for a moment. "I found it while I was looking for Houndour. How did you know I had it?"

In response to Kairn's question, Latias revealed her true form while simultaneously speaking directly to his mind. "I was the one that noticed it, Kairn. I sensed it just as you started to leave. It is the key to Latios."

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Eh.. I would say slow down on updating. That was only two days in between the last chapter or so (sorry if I'm wrong XP), and before that, you didn't give people time to review the chapter before PC got shut down for a few days.

Nonetheless, the chapter was still good. I like how you described Kairn's emotions about being back with Houndour and especially thanking Latias for what she did . . . even though he doesn't know who it was. >>

Damn cliffhanger again, kinda. I wonder how Kairn will react to this now that he has "changed." Can't wait for the next chapter. :P

Kairn is still receiving the most development as a character. You're showing his true side, instead of just leaving him as a one-sided bully figure.

No grammar mistakes spotted. Boss job there. *salutes*

And I do agree to slow down with the updating. I know that my schooling is getting more demanding, and it might be the same for others. Wait more than just three days between posting chapters. I know that you waited in between the chapter posted on the 8th and the one posted on the 15th, but still, no one could read and review. Just...give us a little bit more time.

Hold off on updating for a bit. Got it.

As for Kairn receiving the most character development, I'd say it's because he's only just now really "entering" the story. First was Ren, and now it's his turn.

EDIT: Quick question. What's the standard pixel dimensions for avatars here? I swear it changes for every website.

Hope four days is long enough...no one is really responding, so I'm guessing that everyone's commented that's going to.

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Chapter Eleven

Darkness. It permeated everything, concealing all, revealing nothing. It was all that existed to Latios in his egg, all that he knew; and yet, it was somewhat comforting.

Suddenly, however, there was light. Thin and flickering, it came to him one day as he slumbered, waiting for the partner that would awaken him. The light was very faint, and yet it overcame the darkness. As was expected, it touched his mind and told him the secrets of the Eon Chronicles.

However, its words were under-toned with malice. The light wavered as it spoke, connecting to his mind with feeling tentacles, semi-bright strands that wrapped themselves about his psyche. Invasive. Poisonous.

Latios preferred the dark.

***

Kairn shouted as Latias wavered in front of him, becoming the feathered, floating dragon that was her true identity. He took two quick steps backwards, tripped over his feet, and fell flat on his back. The blue and white stone he had been holding flew somewhere to his side as he futilely attempted to catch himself. He continued to scurry backwards with his hands and legs as Latias' voice came into his mind.

"Don't be so frightened," she thought to him, laughing a little. "I won't hurt you."

"You're…you're…" Kairn stammered.

"Latias," she finished for him after deciding that he couldn't finish himself. "My name is Latias. Pleased to meet you, Kairn." She floated to the ground, hind legs delicately landing to support her weight.

Kairn stayed on the floor, still in total shock. He looked like he was trying to say something, but his jaw simply opened and closed a few times. He managed to emit a gurgle. Latias laughed.

"I suppose you're a little overwhelmed," she thought to the boy, who put a hand on his forehead. "Maybe this will help." In a flash of light, she reverted back to her human form.

Kairn was still wide-eyed as Ren walked over and helped him to his feet. "Why don't you two talk for a while?" he asked. He was looking at Kairn, but he was addressing Latias. "It may help Kairn be more comfortable around you, and he needs the rest besides."

Latias nodded, and stayed inside with Kairn while Griffith and Ren went outside for their daily training. "So," she thought to Kairn. "Why don't you try saying hello?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "It's good manners to return someone's greeting."

Kairn stood for a few moments, looking back at Latias with a sense of wonderment. "Hi," he finally said, simply and quietly. His voice shook a little.

"That's a start," Latias thought to him. "Now what say you to telling me a bit about yourself?"

The two spent the rest of the day learning about each other while Griffith and Ren practiced outside. Kairn introduced Houndour to Latias, while she showed him her various talents. When Kairn felt ready enough, Latias even undisguised herself. By the time Ren had finished his lessons, the two were talking like old friends.

"Good to see that you didn't die of shock," Ren said to Kairn as he came in. "I wouldn't have wanted to waste all of that time applying potion to you only to have you die no less than an hour after you wake up." He laughed.

Kairn grinned at Ren's obvious joking, easily shrugging off the sarcastic remark. "Latias is amazing," he said, changing the subject. "She can do so many things. Did you know that she can fly?" he asked, a look of wonderment still on his face. It had not left since Latias first began to speak to him.

"Of course," Ren said, exchanging a knowing glance with Latias. "What do you think her wings are for?"

Kairn looked down, embarrassed. Ren laughed.

Suddenly Latias began to thought-speak to Kairn. "Pick up that blue stone you had. You dropped it earlier when you fell. We're going out into the forest. Now."

Everyone looked at Latias, surprised. The abruptness of her statement had caught them off guard. "What's so urgent?" Ren asked as Kairn slowly got to the floor on his hands and knees and began to search. "It's nearly evening. Where could we possibly need to go?" Ren finished his question as Kairn stood, pocketing the stone.

"We're going to escort Kairn to find Latios," she said. "The sooner Latios is hatched, the better."

Latias now looked to Kairn. "Did you have any dreams after you found the stone?" she asked. "They would be very vivid, nearly impossible to forget."

"Yes," Kairn said after pausing to think back. "I had a dream of a tree. It had green leaves, as though it was summer-time. However, all of the trees around the green one where white, like they had snow on their branches." He hesitated, concentration showing on his brow. "Houndour was there also, sitting under the green tree," he said. "He ran away when I came near. Why do you ask?"

"Because the place you dream about after you find an Eon Stone is the place where you will find a member of the Eon Family," Latias thought to him. "We're going. Let's bring some food with us. We may be gone a while."

***

Ren, Kairn, Latias, Houndour, and Griffith all trudged through the snow, looking in every direction for a glimpse of green leaves among many thousands of white ones. They were growing tired: they had walked from the previous night until dawn, taking breaks only to eat and to sleep for a short amount of time. Every once in a while, Latias would fly up above the foliage to try and sight their destination. Each time, all she would find was an endless sea of silver trees faintly tainted pink, orange, and gold by the rising sun. She did this one more time now, only to come back down with no positive results.

"This isn't going to work," Ren said, weary and footsore. "We'll never find Latios this way."

Suddenly Kairn spoke. "What does Latios look like?" he asked, looking from Latias to Ren to Griffith for an answer.

"His appearance is similar to mine," Latias thought-spoke to him. "But he looks more like this," she finished as her red feathers faded to blue. The triangular crest on her chest became red, and her eyes swirled to red as well.

"Oh," Kairn said. He could never get over how Latias changed her appearance. It amazed him every time.

***

As Latias and Kairn spoke, Houndour snuck away from the rest of the group. He had scented a Pidgey, and the smell made him hungry. He followed the scent trail until it led him up to a large evergreen tree with a nest in its branches. Houndour watched as the Pidgey he had noticed earlier flew up to the nest before landing and disappearing inside. He growled at it, and began to paw at the tree's trunk.

***

Latias reverted back to her normal coloration as the group continued onwards. Then Kairn noticed that Houndour wasn't with them.

"Where's Houndour?" he asked, looking around him into the forest. Everyone else did the same, but they couldn't find the pokémon either. After a few moments, it was obvious that Houndour was gone. Kairn was just about to shout the pokémon's name when everyone heard a muffled boom, followed by an equally muffled grating noise.

Griffith, Kairn, and Ren sped towards the source of the sound, but Latias far outdistanced them with her superior speed. She arrived first at the place where the sound had emitted from. A large evergreen tree stood in a clearing, its leaves bright green. A large amount of snow seemed to have fallen off of the tree's branches and was now piled at its trunk.

Latias watched as a particularly large patch of snow began to steam. Suddenly, Houndour's head appeared: he was melting his way out of the drift using small spurts of flame emanating from his mouth. The dragon floated over to him and helped him escape from the snow by clearing it away with her forearms. At that time, the three humans caught up with her.

Kairn asked Latias what had happened as he knelt down to brush remnants of snow out of Houndour's fur. However, she did not answer. She was staring at a large opening that she had just noticed at the base of the tree.

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I read this like a week ago, but really haven't had time to review. This is gonna be short. >>

Anyway, I really liked how you dealt with Kairn's reactions to seeing Latias. You did good with showing how it'll take a while for him to fully recognize this new form of Latias and everything, and he's so noobish. XD "DID YOU KNOW SHE CAN FLY?!?!"

It was all that existed to Latios in his egg, all that he knew; and yet, it was somewhat comforting.

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I think the semi-colon would have worked better as a dash--oh yeah, this amazing thing. x]

"Maybe this will help" she finished, reverting back to her human form.

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Comma after "help".

"There's nothing for it," Ren said, weary and footsore. We'll never find Latios this way.

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Uhh, I think the last part of this was supposed to be Ren talking, but I don't know. Or maybe Ren's thoughts? Either way, I was lost.

Hmm. That's about it. You've improved with grammar and such since the beginning. :) AND, I'm glad you're not updating as fast for busy busy busy people like me. Roar. I look forward to the next chapter.. Once again, a sort of cliffhanger. :[ y u do dis to me

Fixed. I love how this site lets you edit as many times as you want.

Anyways, I liked writing that segment with Kairn and Latias quite a bit. "Noobish" is a great word for it. I'll get another chapter up in a few days.

Meanwhile, I'm finding it slightly hard to keep writing, since my beautiful homeland of California has decided to burn to the ground. It's a little stressing, to say the least, but I'm hoping that I'll be back to my old self shortly, as the fires seem to be abating for the most part.

Has it really been that long since I posted a chapter? Wow. Anyways, the fires are pretty much gone, and I'm fine, so yeah. Next chapter.

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Chapter Twelve

Kairn was the first to descend into the cavern beneath the evergreen tree, followed closely by Ren. Latias floated down last, carrying Houndour on her back. The black pokémon appeared to be growing sick, so Latias was obliged to let him off as soon as her hind claws touched the chamber floor. Griffith stayed topside, saying that his old body wasn't able to do some of the things it used to.

As Kairn stood in the dark, he felt the stone in his pocket begin to rumble. He pulled it out, and a brilliant flash of light illuminated the cave. Ren and Latias waited patiently as he gaped at the intricate carvings in the chamber wall. At last his eyes settled on a shining object in one corner of the cave. He walked to the corner, and found a pedestal there. Embedded in the pedestal was a sword that resembled Ren's. The hand guard appeared to be made of layered feathers, but as Kairn touched it, he found that it was made of metal. The part of the cloud-white blade that showed was covered in beautiful etchings of blue feathers, which seemed to glow under the stone's light.

When Kairn tried to pull the sword from the pedestal, it wouldn't budge. He quickly discovered how the stone and the handle fit together, however, and then stepped back as wisps of steam escaped from around the now free blade. He drew the sword slowly from its place, which set the exotic metal ringing loudly. The sound echoed about the cavern for nearly a minute as everyone stood still, entranced by the beauty of the note.

Then, the pedestal that had held the sword collapsed in two. Kairn knelt down to it with a puzzled look on his face, placing the sword next to him. Ren, Latias, and Houndour formed a half-circle around Kairn as he held up a large, blue-and-white egg. The egg was warm to the touch, and Kairn stared at it for a long time as he sat back on his heels.

"We should start heading home," Ren said finally. "Griffith is still waiting for us, and it's getting colder outside every minute."

As if on cue, a few large flakes of snow slowly tumbled down into the chamber from the tunnel above. Latias took the egg from Kairn and paused for a moment, turning it carefully about in her claws. Suddenly her feathers seemed to rapidly flash through a few different colors, but it happened so fast that Ren couldn't be sure.

Latias flew up and out of the chamber with the egg after letting Houndour get onto her back for the ride. Kairn and Ren followed, climbing from the room using stone grooves that had been carved into the walls.

Once they were outside, they realized just how cold it had become. Large drifts of snow fell from the sky, driven by a frigid, biting wind. Latias ruffled her feathers and shivered as she handed the egg back to Kairn.

"It's so cold…" she thought to no one in particular. She seemed withdrawn, as though the icy air was stealing her energy. Ren walked up to her and placed an arm around her neck. He noticed that her feathers seemed stiff, as though frozen. He grew worried.

"Latias…are you okay?" he asked, concern emanating from his thoughts and into hers. "What's wrong?"

She dropped a few inches, seeming to momentarily lose her ability to stay air-born. "It's this snow," she said. "It's freezing my wings up. I don't know if I can fly."

"Houndour can help with that," Kairn suddenly said from off to the side. He had been silent throughout the entire conversation, staring at the egg he held cradled in his arms. Latias and Ren looked to him, questioningly. In response, he looked to his pokémon. "Houndour," he said. "Would you mind keeping us warm?"

Houndour trotted to the center of the group and then stood still, concentrating. The air above his back began to waver as his body heated itself to an intense level and began to glow. He looked back at Kairn, his eyes showing as two dark spots against his fiery fur. A barrier of warm air soon enshrouded the entire party, and as snowflakes met the heat, they simply melted away.

Latias' feathers soon defrosted, water falling away from her in small droplets that left indentations in the snow. She shook herself, quickly becoming fully dry as she floated up to her normal height. She inclined her head at Houndour in a symbol of thanks, and the pokémon returned her nod. The party started on its way back to the cottage, trudging through the ever-deepening snow.

A pair of eyes watched the travelers leave the foot of the evergreen tree. The creature waited until the group was out of sight, and then winged silently away. It had business to attend to.

***

The world around each member of the party seemed shut away by a white blanket: they could hear nothing except each others' muffled footsteps. The trees began to thin as they came closer to the cottage, and suddenly they were out of the forest and in a clearing. That was when the egg Kairn was holding began to move.

Everyone halted and crowded around as Kairn held the egg out before him, unsure of what to do. He didn't want to place the egg in the snow, for fear it may injure whatever was contained inside. He then had a thought. He walked to where Houndour was standing, and motioned for the pokémon to move out of the way. He then placed the egg on the ground where Houndour had been: the snow was melted by his body and the earth had become quite warm.

Latias, Ren, Griffith, Kairn, and Houndour each held their respective breaths as a slender crack appeared on one side of the egg. The crack soon grew, and more and more cracks spread out from the original to cover the entire egg. Soon, a fragment of the egg tore away to reveal a small, feathered, white-and-blue head with a teardrop-shaped crest. Red eyes opened slowly to peer inquisitively at Kairn, holding his gaze, as the rest of the creature's body began to emerge.

Latios was colored exactly as Latias had shown Kairn. The young dragon slowly stood to his hind claws, and then steadied himself before lifting off the ground. He floated upwards until his eyes were level with Kairn's, and then spoke to his mind.

"Hello, Kairn," he thought to the boy. "My name is Latios."

"…Hello…" Kairn said hesitantly. His hands were shaking. He wasn't quite sure what to do.

Suddenly, Latios' mind brushed his, exuding comfort and calm. "I could use some food," he thought to him, sensing his confusion. "Do you have anything?"

Ren walked up and handed Kairn the sack that the group kept its food in. Latias had been listening in on the conversation and told him every word, and he chose this time to jump in. "Of course he has food," Ren said to Latios. "We wouldn't want a hatchling to go hungry, would we?"

Kairn looked up thankfully at Ren, pulled food out of the sack, and then hand-fed it to Latios until he stopped eating. Kairn was amazed at how much lighter the sack felt.

"Thank you," Latios thought to Kairn. "You have no idea how hungry I was." He paused. "Well, I guess you do know," he thought after a moment, laughing. "After all, I can't choose what feelings to send you."

Kairn held his stomach, nodding his head. He had become so hungry when Latios hatched that he could hardly stand it. Now he felt so full that he thought he would burst.

Suddenly, Latios looked past the boy, and his dark pupils grew large, nearly concealing the red around them. "We need to run," he thought unexpectedly to everyone present, worry tainting his mind's voice. He started floating slowly backward. "Follow me."

With that, he took off at high speed towards the direction of the cottage. Kairn began to run after Latios as a dumbfounded look overcame his features. Everyone else felt similarly confused as they raced to catch up.

Suddenly, Kairn heard a sound behind him and looked back. Many dark objects were speeding through the falling snow straight towards him, and he could hear what he recognized as the screeches of many birds. His eyes grew wide before he refocused his gaze forward so that he could see where he was running. "Hurry!" he yelled to his companions.

Everyone had noticed the impending danger by now, and needed no further prompting. They all raced as fast as their legs and wings could carry them through the snow, seeking the refuge of the cottage. They caught sight of the structure as they crested a hill, and began to run even faster towards it, but they didn't quite make it.

The attack came over them like a wave. Ren felt a sharp pain in his back as something heavy struck him, and he fell forward into the snow. The thing flew over his head and circled around, coming towards him again. He stood up and unsheathed his sword in the same motion, its blade becoming bright as he ran forward, brandishing it before him. Latias held her claws at the ready as she sped along with him, eyes flashing.

As what Ren could now see was a dark colored bird drew nearer, he readied himself. Suddenly, his blade flashed once, and two halves of what had been a Murkrow tumbled past him as he continued to run.

More and more of the birds flew by each member of the group, attacking their heads and backs. Latias clipped a Murkrow with her claws as it flapped past her, sending it tumbling away. Kairn had unsheathed his sword on the run and was clumsily, though effectively, slashing at a few birds that drew near. Latios stayed close to him, tangling with one of the attackers while still flying before extinguishing its life with a bite to the neck.

Houndour, running behind Kairn, jumped out of the way as a Murkrow tried to slam into him. The bird crashed to the ground as Houndour twisted in midair, sending a jet of flame from his mouth to meet more of the attackers. The birds ignited and then were quickly extinguished as their bodies fell into the snow.

The battle quickly intensified. Ren's sword became a shining blur as he downed one attacker after the next; the path he left behind was littered with dark forms. Kairn seemed to be growing surer of his blade as he left more and more bodies in his wake. Houndour was aglow with fire as he incinerated Murkrow after Murkrow, their bodies dissolving before they even hit the ground. Latias slashed a few more Murkrows to pieces with her claws, and then her eyes lit up. The light spread across her face and down her body until she was brilliantly white. Suddenly, threads of energy shot from her glowing form and into the brunt of the remaining flock, downing most of the attacking birds. Those remaining turned and flew quickly away, startled by how fast their companions had been defeated.

The company reached the cottage and ran inside without looking back. They collapsed onto the floor, exhausted and wounded. Griffith immediately began dressing injuries with a bottle of potion.

"What was that?" Ren asked Latias as he panted for breath, amazement showing on his face.

"I don't know," she thought to him, closing her eyes. "They had no reason to attack."

Latias had misunderstood his question. "No, I mean what was that blast of light? How did you do that?" Ren pressed.

"Oh, that?" Latias thought back to him. "I caught the light of the sun with my feathers, and then focused it to increase its strength. I guess the idea just…came to me."

Ren was constantly amazed by Latias' never ending supply of abilities. He knew that the members of the Eon Family were capable of doing such things, but to see it actually happen was quite different.

Then he grew very silent, and looked down at his sword. It was covered in grime, and he tossed it away from him. His palms grew sweaty as he thought over what had happened.

"I…killed…" he thought to himself. "All those Murkrow…" Images of the birds, dead and dying, flooded into his mind. His vision became cloudy as tears formed in his eyes. "What have I done?" he asked himself.

Latias floated over to him and settled down next to him. She gently touched him on the back and felt that he was trembling slightly. He leaned against her, resting his head on her feathered shoulder, and began to weep. Then he clenched his fists together in front of his face.

"Why did they attack?!" he screamed inside his head. "I never would have hurt them. What made them do that?!" He looked around the room, his imagination filling the space with the corpses of his victims. "I'm sorry!" he thought to a maimed Murkrow that was staring at him judgmentally out of the one eye it still had. "I didn't mean to hurt you! I just…I just…"

"You were protecting us, Ren," Latias thought gently to him. "We were all doing it for each other. I fought for you, Kairn, Latios, and Houndour. You fought for them and me…" She broke off, looking towards the others, who were all asleep. "And they fought for you and me. We all saw each other in danger, and reacted. You can't punish yourself over that. We may not know what the Murkrow were thinking, but nothing justifies them attacking like they did. We saved each others' lives."

Ren wiped his face and nodded, his tears slowing. "Thank you, Latias," he said. "Thank you for being such a good friend."

With that, he closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep. Latias watched him breath for a few minutes, and then eased his head off of her shoulder, laying him carefully on the floor. "You're welcome," she thought quietly to him, and then curled up by his side.

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So, Latios is finally introduced. That's cool. :D More interesting things should start occurring now, like that random Murkrow attack. Dun dun dunnn.

It seemed kind of odd to me how Houndour could keep everyone warm with it getting sick, no..?

I wonder if there's really a reason for the Murkrow attacking. Probably controlled by that "secret figure" you briefly mentioned in the chapter, but then again, maybe not. Gahh. XD

Description is good, as always. *is jealous of skeelz*

The world around the each member of the party seemed shut away by a white blanket: they could hear nothing except each other's muffled footsteps.

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Remove the first "the"

she broke off, looking towards the others, who were all asleep. "And they fought for you and me. We all saw each other in danger, and reacted.

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The "she" should be capitalized at the beginning.

"Your welcome," she thought quietly to him, and then curled up by his side. Soon, she too was asleep.

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Not much else to say, 'cept, keep it up! ;D

Fixed. I need to go back and fix all of my other mistakes, too...

Was that last quote directed at a mistake? I couldn't see one if it was.

EDIT: Ah at v. I do that a lot, probably.

Oh. I'm an idiot.

The "your" should be "you're"

"You're (you are contraction) welcome" makes more sense than "your welcome"

New chapter time. This is probably one of my better ones to date.

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Chapter Thirteen

Ren was roused from sleep by a whisper into his thoughts. He opened his eyes to find Latias hovering by his side, looking down at him. He sat up and blinked a few times, and then asked her what was going on.

"We need to talk," she thought to him in answer, offering a forearm to help him stand. "Come with me. None of the others are awake yet."

Ren followed Latias to the room where they normally slept, his mind coming fully awake. He stepped lightly past his companions so as not to disturb them. Once they were in the back room, Latias shut the door behind them and quietly engaged the latch. She then turned to face Ren.

"Do you remember from our studies that each member of the Eon Family must learn the contents of the Eon Chronicles before hatching?" she asked. Ren nodded.

"Good," she continued. "Now I have another question…where did Latios learn the Eon Chronicles? Griffith certainly didn't teach them to him."

Ren stood for a few moments, puzzled, before saying "I have no idea. Why do you ask?"

"I'm not quite sure," Latias answered. "I don't know why, but I am concerned about the origins of Latios' knowledge. I spoke with him in his mind after he hatched, and found nothing out of the ordinary, but I am still wary."

Latias then moved to one of the windows set into the walls of the room, and drew back the shade with a fore-claw. "Look here," she said to Ren. The boy obliged, approached the window, and peered outside into the frail morning light.

The landscape was pristine. Ren could see the clearing around the cottage, as well as the forest in the distance. All were covered with snow, and it seemed at first as though nothing was out of the ordinary. However, the more Ren looked, the more he felt as though something was wrong. Then he knew what that something was.

"Where are the Murkrows?" he asked Latias, turning to her with a questioning look on his face.

"That is exactly what I'd like to find out," she thought back to him. "No snow fell last night, so the Murkrows aren't buried. I know because I went out earlier this morning and found the place where Latios hatched. There was still a patch of exposed earth."

"What does this mean?" Ren asked, looking back outside. "The Murkrows couldn't have simply disappeared, could they? Maybe scavengers came in the night and carried the bodies off."

"No, I don't think so," Latias said. "Scavengers aren't that cleanly. They would have left feathers, bones, anything they didn't want. However, there is literally nothing out there. It's as if the Murkrows didn't even exist."

With that, Latias let down the shutter, cutting off the faint glow illuminating the room. She and Ren were silent for a few moments, both contemplating the odd events from yesterday. Then Latias thought to him.

"Ren," she started, "I want you to try something. Try to say something to me, but don't speak. Say it with your thoughts."

"Alright," Ren said slowly. "What should I say?"

"Anything," came the answer. "Just try not to use your voice. Focus on the words you want to say, and then think them to me."

Ren thought for a moment, formulating a sentence, and then concentrated on sending it to Latias. To his surprise, she laughed.

"I think you're going to need some practice," she thought to him. "I'm not quite sure what you wanted to say, but all I got was a few sounds and even some colors. Let's try again."

By the time Kairn, Houndour, Latios, and Griffith had awoken, Ren was able to easily send simple sentences to Latias through their mental link. There was a faint knock on the door just as Latias decided they had had enough practice for the day.

"One moment," Latias thought to Griffith, who was standing outside. Then she returned her attention to Ren. "This ability I have just taught you weakens over distance," she thought to him. "The farther apart we are, the weaker our bond becomes. However, this is where your sword comes into play," she glanced at the white blade near Ren's bed. "As long as you have that sword, our bond will always be the same strength. No matter how far apart we are, that sword will allow us to communicate."

"How?" Ren thought to her. "What makes that sword so special?"

"To understand that, you must know of the sword's origin," Latias thought to him. "That sword was forged by the efforts of the very first Latias to bond with a human. The human forged the sword through fire and anvil, and the Latias formed it, giving it shape with her mind and pouring her light into it, removing impurities until it was perfect. The blade has no equal except its twin, which Kairn now possesses. It allows us to communicate because of the extent to which it was mentally altered. The Latias that formed it infused it with so much of her thoughts that it now acts like a beacon, allowing me to sense you from far away with my mind. Treat that sword well, and never lose it. It may be our only connection at times in the days to come."

Ren nodded, and then unlatched the door to allow Griffith inside. The man stayed out of the room, however. "I have decided that the time has come for you to go after the first few Eon Chronicles," he said. "Come and eat. We have many things to talk about."

Ren and Latias followed Griffith to the living room table, where a veritable feast was laid out. Kairn, Latios, and Houndour where already eating as the three seated themselves. Ren noted that Latios had grown overnight: he was already nearly Latias' size. Kairn looked up momentarily from his food.

"Good morning," he said. "Griffith is having us go after the first of the Eon Chronicles today."

"I've already told them," Griffith said. "You will all leave after breakfast. First, there are some important matters to attend to."

The one-eyed man paused as he brought out a volume of the Eon Chronicles. He laid the leather-bound book on the table as he continued. "You must find as many of these as possible," he said. "Latios, Latias, you will be the only ones able to find them. They give off a slight energy that only you can detect. Try to sense this one."

Both Latias and Latios closed their eyes, and concentrated. They each sensed the book's direction and distance as it was marked by a slight pulsation in their minds. They also sensed more books; the others that Griffith possessed they sensed on the shelf in the corner, and yet more they discerned a very long way off.

"I found them," Latias thought, opening her eyes.

"As did I," Latios said, opening his eyes as well. "They were fairly unmistakable."

"Very good," Griffith said, as much to himself as to the two dragons. "You will be fine, then." He looked to Ren. "There is another thing I want to go over," he stated. "Kairn and Latios have not had as much experience as you and Latias. Ren, I want you to teach Kairn all of the sword fighting and survival techniques you have learned. Latias, I want you to teach both Latios and Kairn all of the information from the Eon Chronicles that you know."

Griffith paused as Ren and Latias nodded in understanding. He then waited until the others finished eating.

"I have never been so honored in my life to meet such as you all," he said when they were finished. "I have no doubts that you will overcome the challenges before you." He led them to the front door, where he gave to each of them a sack of food and water.

"Now go," he said. "Find the Eon Chronicles. Keep them and each other safe."

"Don't worry about us," Ren said. "We'll look after each other. Gengar!" he called. The semi-transparent pokemon appeared before him. "Protect Griffith while we're away." The pokemon nodded, red eyes gleaming. It did not smile.

Ren, Latias, Kairn, Latios, and Houndour turned, left the sanctuary of the cottage, and stepped out into the snow-covered world as the door closed reluctantly behind them.

"Lead the way," Ren said to Latias as they began to walk.

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Ren stood for a few moments, puzzled, before saying "I have no idea. Why do you ask?"

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Comma after saying.

The part where Ren tries to learn how to talk to Latias through thoughts seemed kind of rushed, but that''s just me. It's like... it happened for like 2 short paragraphs and then they heard a knock on the door.

Not much else happened this chapter. Hmm. I liked your reasoning for them being able to communicate, though, and the thing with the sword. I bet you like 50 bucks Ren's gonna lose it eventually. XP

And, finally, AFTER 13 LONG CHAPTERS, WE CAN GO AFTER THE EON CHRONICLES! :D
I'll be waitingg. I do think, though, that the next chapter could be combined to the next one. This one seemed kind of.. short. But good, nonetheless.