(Joint Post. Takumi (blue) and Ashara (green) )
Takumi trekked through the mountains outside of the academy in his normal on-campus academy attire: A white heavily altered old Lugia Dorm jacket, dark purplish navy pants, a violet colored shirt, and a red scarf around his neck with white shoes. It was usually odd for him to wear this outfit when he was outside in areas like this; he'd normally wear his other darker colored black jacketed outfit when he would be out in these areas training. But then again, he wasn't here right now to train his pokemon. He had come out here to have a morning walk before most of the classes began on the schedule today.
He wasn't expecting or planning into the possibility of running into anyone from the academy up here.
Ash grunted as she punched into another boulder. Dear God she was out of practice. Really, just a couple of months off routine due to some... minor fights and now she couldn't even focus her Aura into her fist enough. Ugh... more work for her it seemed. She thought the swimming and exercise had helped a little. She heard a snort from behind her and rolled her eyes. "Shaddup Kira." He made a gesture behind her and she rolled her eyes. "I will sick Carrie on you, I swear I will." He shrugged, begging her to try.
Sighing, she spun back into a kick, glad to see the crack she had made into the large piece of rock. She jumped back, nearly grabbing one of her shoes. It was always nice to be barefoot training in the high-up. It wasn't nearly as much fun as the volcano she was going to tomorrow but it made a decent runner up. Ash paused in her training suddenly. Someone was coming up the mountain. She shrugged and ignored it, brushing her hair back. Was probably just a trainer looking to snag a new Pokemon before class.
Something seemed odd. Takumi straightened his black hair with his hand for a moment before he opened up his senses to his surroundings, standing still as he tried to figure out what it was. It sounded like. . . rocks cracking perhaps? He heard what sounded like a female voice but that wasn't all. Something felt. . . strange in the air. Some other kind of energy. It seemed somewhat familiar to him. It was almost like the energy he felt from his own Lucario from time to time. What was it called again. Aura? Was that what his pokemon referred to it as once?
He didn't bother wasting time to pull out Lucario or ask him about it. He decided to look into this matter himself. Hugging the edge of the rock wall, the 14 year old at possibly 5'9'' or taller at the very least slowly slid accross it before looking around the corner of the rock wall to see a blonde haired girl training against a rock while her Lucario stood close by.
Takumi's red eyes narrowed as he studied them. I don't sense the aura from earlier coming from the Lucario. Could it be that his trainer-, His attention then directed towards the girl. It feels like she's exerting some sort of energy with her moves. Is she the one exerting this energy?
This somewhat interested Takumi. He himself had a few special. . . abilities of his own somewhat similar to the energy he felt the girl exerting. Namely his own psychic abilities.
He decided to stop hiding and reveal himself to these two. Perhaps they can be useful to him in achieving his own goals.
"Excuse me Miss, and Lucario. I do not hope I am disturbing something am I?" he asked the two in a calm well mannered voice.
"My name is Takumi Ryuuhiko. I am a former member of the Lugia Dorm at the Academy, only recently returning this year as a Suicune Dorm Student," he began. It was always polite to introduce one's self first before asking for the other party's identities. Despite being 14, his face seemed a bit more. . . chiseled and mature and all that, he basically is handsome compared to most kids his age and looks somewhat maybe two years or so older thanks to the combination of his height and face. "May I ask who you both are?"
Ash would have turned but she was in mid-move. She quickly finished her punch, letting out a happy cheer as the rock in front of her shattered. "YES~ Finally...." She took a few deep breaths, settling her Aura into the all familiar calm it usually took around her." She turned to the boy who had spoken. Kira had not reacted so she was certain they had little to fear from tis kid. She couldn't see his features naturally, Aura only giving her the shape of something instead of its definition. She didn't really think it would matter if she could. There was another boy she liked, one who was so deep into his journey it was a miracle he remembered to answer the phone.
Her teal eyes narrowed as she looked in the boy's direction. "I'm Ashara Harris, a student teacher," she replied merrily after a moment. "But you can just call me Ash if ya'd like." Kira scoffed, arms still crossed over his chest. Ash snorted. "Get over yerself ya arrogant punk. That over there is Kira, a pain in my rear and my first Pokemon. See how well that's gone." She shook her head as the Lucario casually sent an Aura Sphere flying towards her. She sidestepped casually, unconcerned. "I love you too Kira."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "It's a bit early for class isn't it? What's a student doing up here?"
It would not have mattered if Ashara was single or not to Takumi anyways. He had returned to the Academy with his own personal goals and agenda in mind. Sadly this did not include dating or a love life. (OOC: Don't worry ladies. He's still single, you just gotta be able to work with his flaws if ya wanna date him lol)
The girl just punched through a rock. Takumi was a bit surprised but he didn't let it show too well on his face. At best he was giving the kind of look one would normally give in terms of one being mildly or lightly surprised. He knew a person's special energy, be it called magic, mana, psychic, aura, the Force, etc., can do a variety of things. Not that he's convinced it's possible for people to be able to shoot lightning or fire or some other creepy magic stuff like you see in a fantasy movie and all, but in his mind he doesn't dismiss such possibilities either.
"Impressive," he said after she destroyed that rock.
He stood there and paid attention to her as she introduced herself and her pokemon to him, despite their apparent fighting between each other to the point that her Lucario tried attacking his own trainer with a small Aura Sphere. He wasn't going to comment on their bickering, that would be rude.
"A pleasure Miss Ashara Harris and Kira," he said to them both.
If Aura gives shape for Ashara to see, then she may notice Takumi's Aura is different from most people one would normally see. Namely just because of his own psychic abilities and all that. He had received training for his psychic powers, and definitely seemed to have done well to develope them.
"I decided to take a morning walk observing the island's nature before classes start at the academy. After the Lugia Dorm incident 3 years ago, I myself was forced to withdraw from the Academy for some. . . family matters," he began. He had hesitated before saying family matters, but the tone he used to describe family matters had a slight hint of . . . well darkness to it. Or negative feelings towards it. His tone returned to normal when he continued. "As of such, now that I've returned I have decided to tour the island just to see how things had changed in three years time. The fresh air is also rather enjoyable. It also gives me a bit of time to think and consider what class to attend today."
Takumi looked at the rock that Ashara had destroyed. ". . . Forgive me for asking this. That wasn't physical strength that you used to destroy that rock was it? You used. . . it felt almost like what my Lucario refers to as 'Aura'. Did you honestly use this. . . 'Aura', or do you have some kind of special psychic energy flowing through you?"
Why would a kid his age be asking about stuff like that? Better yet, by the way he was acting and the reasons he gave to why he was out this early. . . Well Takumi was definitely acted more mature than most kids his age do. Could that be in regards to his wealthy family upbringing? . . . Well, it was due to his upbringing, but . . . Well, if asked, he wouldn't exactly say his parents were a very positive influence in his life.
Ash didn't hear the compliment, going over to Kira. She returned him promptly, knowing his antisocial would ruin the mood. Instead she released her happy-go-lucky Raichu, who grinned impishly, punching the air. She patted her head and examined the boy's Aura again. He was a Psychic. No surprise there. Ash didn't need to see individual auras to know there were "gifted" people in this school. She made no comment about his explanation or his behavior. It wasn't entirely her business and as much as Ash loved running in guns blazing, personal matters were too complicated to do that with.
She then looked at him again, still gently petting Riley's head. "Well... yes I do use Aura. I have been using it for a long time. And don't worry about Kira. He's perfectly fine when I'm around." She paused for a brief second. "The abilities of others are interesting to you aren't they?" Her tone was casual, not lifting from the natural drawl. The topic was a curiosity, nothing more.
Ah so she is an Aura user. Rather interesting to see a human with the ability to use Aura, although Takumi remembered reading some articles debating the similarities between those who use aura compared to psychic users that often inquired whether or not they were the same, depending on one's definition of spiritual energy and mental energy.
A bunch of philosophical nonsense in truth. Point was that both groups of humans still had a strange mystic power that could do different things. That's what he believes they all come down to in the end.
"I see," he replied to her answer about aura users. He was a little curious what she was meaning to do now that she brought out a raichu, but from what he could gather it was probably to help her continue her training.
He tilted his head lower so that it almost seemed like he was looking at the ground, had his eyes closed, and grinned when she asked him that question. You know, it's usually the kind of facial gesture someone of high society or of proper and noble breeding tend to do when they try to give a collected. . . smug or grin like thing and a small chuckle or at best a 'heh' or 'hmph' when she asked that question. (OOC: I don't know exactly the best way to describe what you would normally see this kind of grin from someone like him used for but I hope you got an idea of what kind of facial expression and gesture he's doing.)
He quickly brought his head back up and looked back at her straight in the eyes. "Indeed they do. After all . . . why should one human fear another who has special abilities when they could learn from them instead?"
A question he had always asked himself based on his own experiences in the past 14 years of his life.
She had no clue what he was doing of course. She couldn't really tell. "It's something to learn from indeed." Ash lifted her hair up and tied it into a ponytail. Riley walked over to a boulder and began to slash at it with a steel tail. She seemed to be in deep concentration, slashing rapidly back and forth. "People will fear what they don't understand." Ash paused for a moment, then smiled at the younger male.
"So..." she began lazily. "Classes don't start for a bit but i have a feeling you're an eager student. What do you want to learn? I'm a teacher of self defense and intermediate battle study, and I have knowledge of eight types currently on hand and the other eleven at my house." Ash leapt to land on another large rock. "It takes training to do this by the way," she informed him merrily. If he wanted to talk about his upbringing that was his business. She wouldn't force it out when they had just met.
Her words had truth in them. Heck, his childhood was kinda bad just from his parents' own fear. Fear is a powerful motivational tool. One Takumi may take advantage of in the future.
He had noticed Raichu begin working on a rock to practice on for itself, but didn't pay too much attention to it as he was currently talking with Ashara.
He listened to her as she began talking again and asked what he wanted to learn. She had an impressive resume and list of skills she taught. Then he watched her jump and land on a rock that was probably close to the size of a Charizard. He couldn't help but give a small smirk at her comment about it taking training to be able to jump onto a rock as large as the one she was currently standing on.
"Heh. . . a rather impressive Resume Miss Ashara," he commented to her.
He thought for a moment and began to pace.
He looked back up to her after a few moments. ". . . All of those I would enjoy learning. Self Defense. . . Intermediate Battle. . . I can think of a few specific types I would enjoying more of. . . Even some things about Aura as well."
Ash shrugged. "Meh, I've heard better." This was something she made an effort to do, state the facts and then deny how positively amazing it was. It made people believe she was humble, at least part of the time. Good first impressions were important after all. She honestly forgot who told her that. The students had to think she was professional. The teachers... eh they knew better. She grinned a little, looking slightly mischevous.
"Well pick one topic," she stated, scowling at her ponytail. "And we'll start there. Other students should be coming up here at some point but we've got until after breakfast. If others show up anyway." Ash sat on the boulder, tossing a pebble. "Also, the thing about Aura is... even if you can use another ability already, it doesn't mean you can access this. Draws power out of you and the planet. Aura's tricky that way."
"My Lucario seems to agree with you on that topic," he said to her after hearing her explanation about Aura.
He reached for his pokeballs with one hand and let out all three members of his team, a charmander, a lucario, and a metang. "These are the members of my own team. While I am at the academy my team and I have one goal. The Lugia Dorm's infestation of Ghost Pokemon. I wish to find out what exactly caused the infestation to happen three years ago. In order to do that, I will need to venture into the dorm again."
His Lucario looked over to Kira for a moment, and then to Ashara. It seemed Takumi's Lucario noticed the woman's affinity for Aura as well.
Ash raised an eyebrow and nodded. Kira blinked impassively at the other, younger Lucario. He rolled his eyes a bit and watched RIley train a bit more. Ash then nodded passively. "Those are all Pokemon I've got on me," she stated after a moment. "Is there anything you want them to learn? I'd say let us fight but that would not end well. With what level your Pokemon are likely at..." She grinned a bit. "It'd be a beatdown. So how do you wanna start?" Ash was not much of a planner when it came to classes. She wanted to spend her first real classes assessing the little buggers, see just how screwed she was. With a tiny sigh, she beckoned Kira forward. "Which Pokemon do you want to train first?"
Takumi returned Charmander and Metang to their pokeballs before he signaled his Lucario to come forward. Lucario stood with his arms at his sides and his feet a bit more than shoulder width apart as he stood in front of Takumi.
"You would be right in assuming so," he said to her. "My pokemon are all currently at level 20, not to mention my team is probably half the size yours currently is, so I would agree that it wouldn't be a very even fight between us should we attempt a Pokemon Battle, or even if I was to take on some of the other students at the academy or the ghosts of the Lugia Dorm. Still, I aim to fix that problem soon."
He points to his Lucario. "Out of the current members of my team, Lucario is the one I need the most training in terms of his potential with Aura, let alone should he help me in my fight against most of the ghosts in the Lugia dorm. His current attacks are Bone Rush, Dark Pulse, Aura Sphere, Rock Smash, Metal Claw, and Force Palm."
His Lucario brought up both his front paws together and bowed before resuming his original stance.
Ash nodded. She thought for a few moments then placed her fingers to her temple and breathed slowly. "Aura requires a certain inner emotional state to function properly. Even if on the outside you are so angry you are seeing red, your heart has to be like a rock against the waves. If it isn't, your Aura will not listen no matter how much you call." Her voice was quiet and even, the seriousness of this topic showing in her teal eyes. "Aura has a limited effect on ghosts, simply due to it being a part of a living creature and not the dead." She glanced at Kira.
"As much as this guy and I butt heads, we are a pretty good team, if I do say so myself. A good way to improve a creature's control over Aura is for the trainer to work with them, be it with meditation or practicing the flow through the body. Also, earn some money." She smiled a bit, a crooked grin. "Your Lucario needs a stronger Fighting and Steel move if you want him involved in close combat like Rock Smash and Metal Claw."
Takumi listened to Ash as she began explaining Aura to Takumi and his Lucario. The heart must be like a rock against the waves, huh? Takumi's will was strong if anything, and his Lucario was certainly well tempered if anything.
"A few questions," he began. "First, I only thought Aura's power came from the user of the power. Are you telling me that for Aura to work it not only involves the user's aura, but the target's aura as well? Second, what ways are there for Lucario to practice the flow of Aura through his body, and should I be practicing this flow on myself if I want his strength and abilities over Aura to increase? Third . . . do you have any steel or fighting moves in mind to teach Lucario in place of Rock Smash and Metal Claw?"
Money wasn't a problem to him really. Apparently the TM's Ash must've had in mind must've been rather expensive.
Ash paused for only a beat, having been thinking about something else entirely while the boy had spoken. "In the case of Ghosts yes. There's a reason Fighting moves don't work on Ghost types without moves such as Foresight and Miracle Eye. Ghosts are on an entirely different plane of existence than the living. I know, a pain, but that's what happens when you're, well, dead. When it comes to other types, unsettling the target's aura with the user's makes it more affective. It still works on them, but it's not nearly as effective as it appears."
She nodded firmly. "Next, ways to practice Aura are focus and meditation. Aura is like taking a step back from your world when you first use it. It feels like a set of limbs you aren't used to." She snorted abruptly. "Plus when you're little, you feel like you're on so much sugar you are literally clinging to the bloody ceiling. But anyway... when it comes to Aura..." She held out her hand as an Aura sphere appeared above her hand. "Kid don't try this, I am warning you because inexperienced users have a habit of blowing their hands off on this without control. Trust me, not pretty. This is just to display something." The Sphere sank around her hand, wrapping around it like a cocoon. "The idea is to begin by focusing Aura to one part of the body at a time and as you get used to that concentration, you can alter it to more at once. Concentrating on it around your hand is a start but you have to meditate first if you both want to do it. Your breathing, your body's rhythm needs to be in perfect sync. Even your thoughts have to meld. It takes more than will power and serenity with yourself and your Pokemon, it takes understanding the area itself you are practicing in and learning the flow of energy. If it's too low, nothing happens. Too high and you run the risk of killing yourself or at least severe injury from the inside."
Ash then nodded. "Brick Break for a start, along with Flash Cannon. Lucario can also learn Psychic and Shadow Ball, if you considered those."
"So despite the fact that Ghost Pokemon are essentially still living . . . just because they are on a different plain of existence that allows them to be immune to Aura," he said all this as if trying to confirm what she had just said.
He watched her form the orb and had it surround her hand as she warned him not to attempt what she was doing without training and proceeded to continue her explanation of Aura.
His Lucario seemed to be trying to attempt what she just did with Aura. Seemed like he was sorta able to do it without much trouble at first, forming the orb that is. When it came to having the Aura surround his own paw. . . the energy around his hand was beginning to waver and seemed somewhat erratic rather than controlled. Luckily Lucario was able to stop the Aura and had it slowly die down around his hand before anything bad had happened. Takumi looked at his own hand before looking at Lucario, a silent telepathic conversation between them confirming Takumi's suspicions to obey what she said.
He looked at her and nodded, making note of some of the moves she recommended. Shadow Ball he already taught Metang, and Psychic was one move he was hoping to teach Metang in time.
"I will keep all of this in mind," he said to her.
"Meditation . . . and focus . . . is something I've had experience with in some earlier years," he began. He reached out his hand as his eyes began to glow and slowly began to lift up a rock about the size of a baseball at best and had it float over and land in his hand. "I suspect the methods used for Psychics and Aura users are more different than what you have let on about. Correct?"
Granted he's not too sure himself. Focusing on himself and on others around him, meditating, all that. . . it sounds similar to what he normally had to do to train his own psychic abilities in the past, and from what he looked up, Aura Sphere was a Psychic Type attack . . . But he didn't know how different Aura was for humans, even if the Aura Sphere attack is a Psychic type move.
Ash shook her head a little. "There's a common misconception that Aura Sphere's a Psychic move," she said quietly. "It's a Fighting move. Psychic abilities have to do with the mind while Aura does more with the body. Emotions are felt in both so it has to do with both of them. Funnily enough we still can use telepathy." She watched the rock float and nodded. "It is rather different. You only have to focus on yourself with a psychic power, unless it's fully directed toward others. Even then it's not completely the same. Aura requires much more of a connection."
She gestured to Riley, who padded over happily. "Anything about your other Pokemon you need to go over or do you still have questions?"
Takumi looked up at her and listened as she continued the explanation of the difference between Aura and Psychics. He let the stone in his hand fall to the ground.
"No . . . You have answered enough of my questions for today. Thank you for your time Miss Ashara," he said bowing. He returned Lucario to his pokeball and turned to head back down the mountain. "I look forward any future lessons you will have to teach me."
And with that Takumi proceeded to go back down the mountain and back to the academy.
"It's my job," Ash said simply. "And just Ash. My mother had to have been on Razz when that name popped into her head." She turned back to her training. Riley punched the air happily, cheeks sparking. It was time to wait for everyone else to show up wasn't it? Ah waiting sucked.
