Kanto : Going My Way

Clash Of St. Anne Part 6

"...I thank you for everything you've done for me today and I commend you on your patience on this subject...Cynthia. Without you, I couldn't have hoped to survive to see the next sunrise...I-I...I can never thank you enough."

The deep formal monotone voice of Ash Ketchum cracked a bit letting a considerable amount of emotion slip into his tone as he looked at the platinum blonde haired girl sitting across him. His face, which was generally the picture of stony stoicism, was set in an image of thankfulness and relief as he uttered those words.

Seated just beside him on the bed was the familiar long blonde haired girl with a soft expression on her face. For once in history...Ash Ketchum and Cynthia Shirona were not set in a deadlock in the endless battle between fire and ice...Which Cynthia hoped would stay that way.

"...I-It's okay...Y-You would have done the same for me..." Cynthia turned her face aside to conceal the pink tint on her cheeks...Thankfully the silver haired trainer couldn't see anything...Keeping long hair that covered half your face was awesome like that.

The blue eyed trainer sitting across her hummed in reply but didn't say anything. After a few tense moments between them, he said, "...I guess you have many questions...Ask away. I'll answer them to the best of my ability."

"Okay then...First. Are you an Aura Guardian?" Cynthia asked with a little excitement in her tone.

The long silver haired trainer whipped his head in her direction to gaze straight into her hazy grey orbs as he spoke warily, "...I am surprised you know that word Cynthia..."

Cynthia let a small haughty and prideful smirk form on her face as she replied, "I am a genuine adventurer, ruin maniac and historian in my free time -"

"Self proclaimed."

Cynthia would have pouted if she didn't have her ice queen reputation to uphold.

She settled for huffing in irritation, "Asshole. So what? I know a fair bit about Guardians Of The Sacred Force. Sinnoh has quite some legends about them. I have travelled to ruins scattered far and wide throughout Sinnoh. You have no idea about the number of inscriptions on mysterious people who could manipulate their life forces to do miracles. Be it curing a dying man of a deadly disease or fighting off a Rhydon with bare hands, I have read many legends about you folk...Imagine my surprise when I saw a certain bastard I know make a wisp of purple flame appear in his hand..."

Ash snorted in amusement beside her, "...To answer your question...I am a Guardian...Or atleast I used to be."

Cynthia's blonde eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Huh...That would explain Riolu's weird behavior around you...Tell me...Ashy, in that case, as you can clearly use aura...Are you a member of that mysterious rebellious group called 'Deserters'?"

Ash muttered something under his breath that sounded, 'That's another name for us I guess...' and turned to look at her, "...I am not familiar with that name. However, I certainly am a deviant -"

"Oh my, my Ashy, I did not need to know about your fantasies in the bedroom with leather whips, chains, ball ga -"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT BY DEVIANT DAMMIT!" Ash cried out in outrage sporting a prominent red tint on his face before he coughed and straightened himself, trying to regain some lost dignity.

...He ignored Cynthia's giggling for the most part.

"...I am what your Riolu calls a user of Dark Aura."

Immediately the atmosphere in the room darkened when Cynthia realized the severity of the situation. With a contemplative frown on her face she muttered, "...That would explain your indifference to the man's death...You really are used to this huh?"