FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 9

The dozen Buizel only slowed their speed once any sight of land was gone and they were truly out in the open ocean. When the night sky took over and then a waxing moon appeared in the air Rook lost himself looking up at it, standing near the bushes and trees close to the back end of the ship. Enzlo floated close to Riley, who stood aside the captain. It looked like the Psychic type was enjoying the fire type's warmth. From behind the Typhlosion at the wheel, Rook began admiring the berry trees that had been set up in a long row across the 100 foot ship.

Set up in nutritious filled soil from the Leafeon clan's land, the trees were hyper producers of fruit of various types. Rook reached up and he plucked an Oran Berry from the tree and took a huge bite of it, closing his eyes and letting out a groan of happiness. He loved Oran Berries...

The captain's flaming back acted like a beacon upon the open sea around them, a bright glow that shimmered back off the still and otherwise calm waters. The shadows of the trees danced on the light upon the water, which also shimmered from the light of the bright hearth that was within the heart of the ship. The immediate area around the ship, even within the water, was bright even in the darkest night for this ship.

"The Ocean's giving their blessing for this journey," Nether began while he held the wheel in one paw, leaning back on it and admiring the way it held his weight. "And we have a fantastic ship, this will be a breeze."

"Yes you said as much before." RIley stated flatly, "Just keep us going due east for about 8000 nautical miles, then take us northeast for another 7000."

"How long will that kind of journey take us?" Rook asked, having absolutely no idea how long that actually was.

"If we can somewhat maintain our speeds, and sometimes do that huge burst we did just a moment ago," Riley said then paused, a clear look of deep thinking on his face as he tried to shoot a guess. "Four months off the top of my head."

"Hah!" The Captain said at his wheel. A moment of silence followed before Enzlo prodded.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Don't call me out you damn Psychic..." The fire lizard muttered with a growl.

Enzlo snickered and with a light prod Enzlo let Rook in what the fire type was suddenly flustered for and he grinned. The captain and his otters had promised far more than they could deliver earlier, promising three weeks for arrival.

"I'm fine with that." Rook smiled lightly and he looked back at the Oran tree and reached to take another berry.

"You've eaten like fifteen of those things. How are you not just vomiting blue yet?" Riley asked as he stared at Rook, the Marshadow's eyes glowed in the night like firefly wisps because of his otherwise smokey black body.

Rook stared back as he would finish chewing the huge bite of the berry he had taken and swallowed, then smiled to show bright white teeth and he snickered, "Oran's are my favorite~ There was only ONE bush on my island." He paused and huffed, reaching up to take another, "Besides, you heard him earlier, 'eat as much as you want.'" He continued, then took a huge bite as he recalled the Conkeldurr harbor master who had been so proud and prideful of his creation.

"I heard you're some kind of science experiment." The captain suddenly said, still leaning back with one hand holding the wheel. The fire lizards body was extremely flexible, able to lean back enough to stare behind himself nearly upside down at Rook, who, in the middle of chewing the next bite he had taken, was unable to convey his annoyance at the question and was just frozen.

Enzlo began to speak, "It's not the business of the privateer really." He pointed out, somewhat forcefully.

"Don't shield him mate, I'm not for it anymore, not after seeing him." The captain growled, his head turning to the floating Abra. "Everyone in that town was saying it, saying he's gonna be the Avenger."

"The...Avenger...?" Rook asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"A title the kids gave to you after that display of power you did in lifting up the satellite into the sky. They told the captain a few exaggerated tails of it." Enzlo told the Lycanroc.

"Not so." The captain said back, "They exaggerate because they were unable to explain it, and that's not why he's called that." The Typhlosion looked back to Rook, as the Lycanroc was now looking away, the glow in his eyes increasing rapidly. "You have great power in you. I am merely curious, what does Jack's creation think of him?"

Instantly there was an insanely bright glow from within Rook's chest that shined a bright yellow, it flowed up from his chest through his mane of fur on his back as at the same time his eyes became like bright purple suns with the yellow glow being their backdrop. The fur of his entire mane bristed and shook like that of an Ekans' rattle, or perhaps the sound of a Sandslash clicking its claws together rapidly, either way, the noise gave its "Don't fuck with me." message across very well. Rook's scarf added its own unique noise to the skittering with metallic clicks as his rock sharp fur would prick the steely fabric.

"I'll kill him before I ever let him control me again." Rook growled, as then he reined in his power and the glow would fade rapidly. The yellow glow of his chest faded fully, but his fur continued to bristle and his eyes still glowed very brightly. Nobody had moved from the sudden burst and display of his power, but the magnitude of it was felt by the other pokemon, like a heavy weight upon their shoulders that left when Rook pulled it back.

The Captain snickered and he looked at the Psychic type again. "Ya know, the Alakazam waited for this day, you visited them first didn't you? They directed you to the Espeons. The Messenger arrived, and The Avenger appeared. Just like it was recorded, the message has spread too rapidly to contain. Stuff this important doesn't stay secret in this world for long. Why, I remember when I first heard of Ruli! Learned it from the beak of a Pelipper! Imagine everyone's shock as they learned their world had been in such danger and they may have never known! Gossip and news that important literally flies on the wings of the flying types." The Typhlosion snickered.

"I thought we agreed to keep that secret?" Suddenly the voice of Ruli entered the conversation, as the Mega Lucario somewhat difficultly made his way up the staircase to the top floor.

"You shield him for no reason. By the time we get there, everyone is going to know about you and him and what you are there to do." The Captain said, continuing into the topic despite Ruli joining in and his comment of keeping it secret, "I tease him like that not because I doubt he'll betray us or anything, but because I understand how he feels."

"I wonder about that Captain." Rook snarled, angrily admitting to himself...could he, would he? He closed his eyes as he took a deep, deep breath, calming his mind into a sense of himself like he had taught himself to do in order to sleep in the confines of his cell in the lab...he realized he couldn't know how to feel right then...he just didn't know. But what was this about an 'Avenger'?

"You want it so badly it makes your whole body burn." The fire type continued, "Tell me your story, I'll tell you mine." The Typhlosion smiled.

"Not all your story to tell is it though wasn't it?" Enzlo pointed out.

This fact Nether did pause at before he smiled, "Plenty of other stories about me before that I could tell too."

"No...it's fine." Rook said, and he looked at Ruli, "Tell me about this Avenger and Messenger business."

"Rook..." Enzlo said lightly and sighed, "Very Well. When I woke up in this world, I was given a brief glimpse of Mega Alakazam's power, a message he had left for me after he had first frozen me in place when I passed through the last Gate. He said only one word in my head, a name. 'Zane'"

"So you mean Ruli is the Avenger?" Rook asked his Psychic companion.

"At first, yes, but I don't believe that makes him the Avenger anymore." Enzlo said, and he stared at Rook, "That name was simply to help lead me to where I needed to be...I believe it is you Rook, it only makes sense given your feelings in the matter."

The Lycanroc grimaced, and his eyes narrowed as he tried to understand, "I don't think I understand quite right yet, who named me that? Who named you Messenger?"

"Arcues did." The Captain chuffed, "Let's start this out by saying the legend as it goes here in our world; Jack the Defiler, the Devil, slighted us pokemon by killing for our energy. When the Messenger brought his deeds to light, Arceus threw open the Gates, and wild pokemon would flee in fear of the discovery. The Mega Pokemon were granted great power to protect their fellow pokemon from humans who wanted us only for our energy."

"Many Pokemon who were loyal to their human families remained with them, but the Mega Pokemon out right killed any human in which they sensed malice intent in. Any...thought of killing a pokemon for their energy, and they were killed instantly by the Mega, who could sense their intent, with no remorse or trial. Their anger was palpable. Many humans that were spared simply cowered in fear in their vicinity, whether they knew the reasons why it was happening or not.." Enzlo continued, while Rook listened intently to the information, as it was, in actuality, the first he'd heard of what had happened in the greater world during the time of the Gates. He had been locked on his island, cut off from the rest of the world, hearing about it only through word of mouth from flying pokemon visiting his island...and then the explosion from Jack's lab happened...

"This caused a rift between wild pokemon and humanity..." Ruli said while folding his arms. "My history teachers taught me that while most were able to be captured, tamed and even brought to trust us again...with the Mega Pokemon having also left through the Gates and they closed...and then Arceus announced that he abandoned us...In my time, 20000 years after the close....We were taught that our abandonment was an unjust punishment, and that we wanted to reunite with the Pokemon. We were taught to think, what was one life to the cost of trillions? We killed one pokemon for an energy source that could last over two decamillenniums, the benefit outweighs the cost, and the punishment to abandon us was unjust. But..."

"The reality of it is," Enzlo picked up as Ruli paushed, his brow furrowed as he already knew the next part and as a human turned pokemon, it hurt Ruli to think of. "As psychic types around the world sensed it all at the same time, and as one the entire Alakazam line teleported and hid themselves because...as soon as the threat of death was gone from them..." Enzlo sighed, "Several thousand humans around the world killed the loyal pokemon who had stayed with them for their energy, all at once...and thus Arceus closed the final Gate. It had become clear to him and everyone who sensed when the final Gate closed. Humans were evil, able to hide their true intent behind false screens within their emotions, even those the Mega had spared turned as soon as the threat of death was removed...Still, some humans who still remained loyal to their pokemon, would go on to form a sort of rebellion and would fight against this new regime...We went extinct in that world after 4000 years of what was basically an everlasting war."

"Repopulation efforts weren't able to keep up...that is what we were told..." Ruli muttered sadly, his paws gripping into his own fur on his arms as he snarled. "The Alakazam line that teleported and vanished that day went on to create what became known as the Vocosar Clan, and would lead wild pokemon and loyal humans to pokemon kind in a rebellion, killing other humans indiscriminately when they saw them for over 4000 years, because those same humans were also killing them indiscriminately, hunting them for their energy. It was an all out war in the wild. Cities and populated human villages used the life energy they'd already taken to create the barriers to their cities and farms, keeping wild pokemon from breaking through. Regular hunting parties went out to try and hunt down wild pokemon...until the very last one was stripped of its life."

"We existed for 4000 years on Earth after the close...but we did so in hiding and constantly struggling to survive..." Ruli finished, lowering his head, a deep sadness in his voice. "And because of the barriers, the general populace went unaware of the poison that now gripped our planet...with no more pokemon to care for it, Nature itself turned against us. While the barriers kept it at bay, humans were now locked within these bubbles of metropolis, perfect, sheltered life, while the world, the very soil beyond became unlivable, nothing but a black sludge that would swallow and erode anything it touched...and humans realized about five hundred years after the last pokemon had ever been found in the wild...they doomed themselves. When the barriers eventually would lose their energy fifteen thousand years down the line...they were done for, and so that was when efforts to find a way to break through the barrier between their world and this one began."

Rook stared at the floor as Enzlo continued, "When I came to the Alakazam clan, they told me of a message that they had felt sent through space and time from the human world, which was meant only for me, the Abra named Enzlo. They told me, 'The Messenger would know the secret, it was recorded and stored to wait for the day The Defiler would return. The Avenger will appear with rage, love, regret, and sorrow in his heart, and will gain their own Focus. With the measurement of his life to wield and master it, he will avenge us. His Plan achieved, Arceus will throw the Gate open, the Bright Star will return to guide those worthy of it to salvation, and what comes after is up to them to decide.'"

Enzlo paused as he finished the message, and continued, "That was the message sent from the other world. Shortly after my visit though, knowledge of that message, like Nether here says, took off as news and rumor... After that, they directed me to the Espeon clan, and then I met Ruli, then the islands and Jack came to this world, and then I met Rook..." Enzlo mumbled, then paused for a long moment. "Vocosar...that's just an anagram for the clan I am from...Corsova." Enzlo nodded lightly, "Only I would possibly pick up on that here in this world, that the Vocosar were the Corsova, one in the same...'The Messanger would know the secret, it was recorded and stored to wait the day...' that was when I was frozen by Mega Alakazam, my secret message being Rook's existence...This was all planned by them...through that war...Those humans that still fought were all members of the Corsova clan...but then..."

Enzlo looked up at the stars, opening his purple colored eyes to do so as they shined and shimmered slightly. He looked up directly at the stars with his own eyes rather than that of his mind, as tears began to drip from them rather suddenly. "This was my purpose...? This is where my Focus led? This kind...of..." Suddenly, the Abra teleported away with a quick flash and Rook blinked.

"Where'd he go?"

"I don't know, but that was a new bombshell of information he just dropped on the legend. The Vocosar Clan is actually something called the Corsova huh?" Ruli hummed, "The name doesn't sound familiar at all..."

"It wouldn't be to you..." Riley said to the Mega Lucario, as he looked off to the side sadly to where he knew Enzlo had teleported to, just outside the boat on the front bow...tears streaming down his face but without making a single sound...

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No one had expected Enzlo to be the one who actually broke down from the information, especially when it was given in trying to educate Rook in the first place. The topic had died pretty quickly in awkward silence from Riley's final words, as everyone had got the message. Enzlo just found out his entire clan was dead. No wonder he hadn't felt comfortable at the clan when he had visited! The Alakazam of this world were not his...they were never a part of his Clan, they had not opted to stay loyal to their humans like their teachings taught them to...

Enzlo shouted out and he slammed his fists and arms down upon the wooden brow he was sitting upon, and then did it again, and again, and again. The waves of the water crashed up around him slightly to spray him with a fine mist of clean, clear water. Yet...tears continued to pour from his eyes, while his hands and arms now throbbed in deep pain from the physical torment he was rapidly inflecting upon himself. Scratches and bruises soon covered them up to his elbows, and he panted as he continued to throw his arms against the wood over and over.

"Fuck this frail, pissy little body! Fuck it! You stupid little yellow rat why couldn't you save him!?" The words just suddenly exploded audibly from the Abra's mouth, while Enzlo lamely shook his broken and destroyed arms on the brow. They now flopped numbly, lost to the 'recovery state'. He could feel the pricking at the back of his mind, that sensation that would eventually overcome his mind and cause him to faint into the full comatose state that pokemon went into when pushed beyond their limit...yet he didn't stop.

"Enzlo?" Rook asked after having poked his head out the window of the room above the psychic type. The Lycanroc looked around very quickly, thinking the Abra was yelling at someone else, before he noticed the Psychic types' incredibly bruised arms. "What the heck are you doing to yourself!? You're an Abra! You can't be doing that!"

Enzlo looked at the Lycanroc, closed eyes glowing a bright purple like etched lines upon his face that locked right towards Rook's own. The psychic type's muzzle quivered at Rook while more fluids drained from his closed eyes. "Thank you for caring Rook...I'm sorry for everything you've been through..." Enzlo's voice said to him in his head, as calm as possible, before suddenly he fell forward and passed out, and fell into the water of the ocean with a quiet splash before Rook could even shout out his name.

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Enzlo shot up awake under a cozy and soft blanket made of Mareep wool. He didn't move, he couldn't. His arms didn't register any message from his brain, and Enzlo realized he had probably given himself some kind of permanent body damage...

"Try to focus on your fingertips first..." Ruli said beside him, having sensed the Psychic type's new awareness despite his lack of movement. The Mega Lucario's paw reached over and passed along Enzlo's arms while glowing a soft green. Enzlo felt a buzzing warmth flow up through his arms from fingers to shoulders and managed to flex his digits. He hissed out, unable to stop the pain that felt like lightning bolts lancing down through his arms, from his shoulders to his fingers instead. The calming warmth of the healing energy Ruli poured into him tried to mask the pain, but it wasn't enough. Yes, he realized with a low sigh, he had probably caused some permnanant damage

"Why did you do that...?" Ruli asked him while he kept moving his Healing Pusle along the Abra's wounded arms. "You worried Rook like all hell...you're lucky the Buizel are such good and quick swimmers...remember to thank them later."

"Will it heal...? How much time has passed?" Enzlo asked out loud shortly and curtly, not moving at all still but trying to flex his fingers over and over, his digits only responding to maybe half of the efforts.

"It will...but I'm sure you can feel it, there's going to be permanent damage...you're going to suffer deep pain and even after that, your arms will often feel off." Ruli answered the question, pausing with a pointed look, and then said, "I can't pretend to understand your Aura...or Rook's...both of you radiate like bright suns."

"Fishing for more details won't get you any..." Enzlo said, "My reasons are my own...let them be that...and the rest will come to be known eventually...How much time has passed?" He repeated his unanswered question.

"Just a few hours, and very well..." Ruli let out a sigh of resignation. "I just hope you don't plan more self mutilation, because now this will take four days to heal, at most, and that's time better spent training Rook."

"I won't need my arms for that..." Enzlo said, slowly stirring up to sit and then floating up, letting his numb arms rest over his legs. "Just your help in regular healing doses while I introduce Rook to my clan..."

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"You...want me to become a part of the Corsova Clan...?" Rook said in confusion to Enzlo about fifteen minutes later. Enzlo had fetched himself a large plate of food because the healing of his arms was sapping out a lot of his energy all at once. Ruli could help that with his Healing Pulse every so often, but that used a lot of the Lucario's energy and he needed to recharge between these sessions.

"Yes..." Enzlo's voice said out to everyone in the general area of the bottom floor of the raft. A Rawst Berry floated in the air close to his head, as he took small bites every so often in the pauses of conversation.

Here, the roaring warmth of the 30 foot long hearth of burning coals and wood floated in the open water in the middle of the floor where there was a big gaping hole. The hearth was connected to the ends of the opening by chains, and it floated on a log bed upon the water, connected to which were twelve, two foot long bars of wood, which the dozen Buizel were currently all pushing with their arms, while their rudders were twirling rapidly like miniature motors. However, they kind of looked like they were starting to get tired.

"All right boys, turn off the engines for now and get some rest, it's a calm night and it's a great one to enjoy the warmth of a sleepy fire." Captain Nether would shoot down from the top floor suddenly before Enzlo could continue, landing on the hearth itself with a short crackling explosion, and immediately flopping his whole lizard body onto the hot coals.

One at a time, the twelve Buizel would stop their work and let out content sighs, pushing themselves up slightly to hang on the two foot pole and bask in the warmth of the hearth next to them, their captain in the middle of them all, they seemed to just quickly relax and fall silent together, as the raft would come to still on the calm waters.

"Rook, speak in your mind with me for now to let them rest." Enzlo's voice would enter the Lycanroc's head while he floated silently into one of the store rooms.

"Ah...uh right..." Rook said back in his head and followed the Abra into the room, and the psychic type would close the door behind him, sitting down onto the floor while he took another short bite of the berry.

"Rook...we of the Corsova believe in one thing..." Enzlo's voice continued on as Rook settled down onto the floor, able to feel the slight movement of the raft as the waters under them shifted. "that Humans and Pokemon were once one and the same. That is the fundamental rule of our teachings, the number one backdrop that you can always believe is true to every other lesson going forward. No matter what anyone ever says to you otherwise, you can always believe that as a truth and a fact, that Human and Pokemon were once one and the same."

"Okay..." Rook said lightly, narrowing his eyes.

"No, Rook, you don't understand fully, and I know it. The Corsova's purpose has always been to do two things. The first, for a human, is to become one with nature, to become a pokemon themselves until they understand pokemon like they understand humans. In other words, the ability to understand what they are saying. The Second, for a pokemon, is to help their human companions explore the world and become one with it, and to help them achieve that first goal, while trying to find a truth at the same time, which was simply 'How did the first human come to be? What happened that caused Humans and Pokemon to separate as species?' Do you understand that?"

Rook narrowed his eyes, realization dawned on him.

"That's correct...Jack is a part of the Corsova Clan, and he achieved that first goal. The humans turned into pokemon right now can understand us just fine because they themselves are now also pokemon, that is different...but Jack...you know he could understand you before he put that collar on you back then." Enzlo sent a mental nudge into Rook's head and the Lycanroc recalled all the times during his upbringing, before he became a Midnight Lycanroc, where he'd met Jack after the scientist returned from his work, and barked things at him in response as a Rockruff, and he responded perfectly.

"Oscar and Lilian too..." Rook said in awe, his eyes going wide.

"Yes, they were a part of our Clan too...but they had betrayed us...and then switched back and betrayed Jack...all because of you...Jack's companion pokemon."

Rook snarled and he bristled, awe quickly replaced by annoyance and anger, his fur chattering again while he growled out, "No...I am -not- his pokemon!"

"Whether or not you accept that is not your decision...you are his pokemon...your power is proof of that. The very fact that you control it, that you can call upon it, that is proof." Enzlo returned calmly, taking another bite of the berry floating beside him.

"What does that mean? That makes no sense, how does having my power make me his pokemon? It's my power! Not his!"

"Your natural life energy is yours, that is true. But for the Corsova clan, for that life energy to have been unlocked...you at some point, did accept him as your Master, subconsciously."

"What are you talking about!" Rook shouted out loud. The Buizels and Nether made a slight noise in the neighboring room, and Rook shut his muzzle tightly and repeated what he said in his head for good measure.

"I want him dead for what he's done to me! How can you possibly say I view him as a Master?" Rook growled in his head, clenching his fists and they began to glow yellow, and he felt the build up of power within his body as he restrained it from building too far, but it burned deeply as he stared at the Abra.

"For the very fact that you're right now triggering your power in your anger. It is your anger towards him for his mistreatment of you that fuels your power, you have understood that yes? You figured that out very quickly in the labs. You couldn't wrap your head around it, a trio of people who loved you and supported you for nearly ten whole years suddenly became...so distant, so evil. They wanted you to kill, to drive yourself to the point of collapse, and then kept pushing you through it even when you weren't awake. You eventually resigned to telling yourself that the fact that it didn't make sense was on purpose, as it seemed to fuel your power the more angry and excited you became."

Rook snarled, his paws reaching up to his head to grip it and he shook his head back and forth, "What...what is that...that feeling, my head...my chest!" Suddenly Rook felt like his chest was going to explode, the feeling was the same as what he'd feel when his power would surge through him, yet that yellow glow that he knew usually came with it wasn't coming, the sensation just kept building and building with no stop! His head buzzed with the same kind of feeling, his paws grabbing at his head in response as he snarled.

"There it is..." and Enzlo sent another nudge upon Rook's memory to remind him, and Rook recalled the day he evolved...the water under the ship was shaking, as his power reached far enough to shake the sea floor itself. And just before he felt like he would explode...everything just froze...

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It was at that point that Enzlo had pulled Rook into that special "mind zone", where the outside world was meaningless for the moment. Rook could see Enzlo in front of him, his arms healthy rather than beat up here in his mind's eye...the sky and ground of the world around them was a soft, watery blue, with hues of purple and yellow mixing into it.

Tears streamed down Rook's own face now, his fists clenched up in rage, but there was no yellow glow, no bright feeling in his chest right now. What was this...? Why couldn't he...? Here, he felt no other emotion...as Enzlo kept out any other distraction of the outside world from affecting him. He regarded his clenched fist in silence, pondering his rage and the pure emotion he felt behind the power it fueled...

"You recall that feeling...the hurt, the sadness, the disbelief, the refusal..."

"The acceptance..." Rook trailed off lightly, sadly, as he stared at his paw. "I accepted that I was his creation...his toy...his pokemon..."

"This made you something the Corsova Clan refer to as "Connected" and this unlocked your inner power." Enzlo continued, "It wasn't just Lilian and Oscar whom your soul is connected to. Irrevocable, your's is connected to Jack's as well, deeper than anything you'd ever feel for Oscar or Lilian. It was created through rage, sorrow, and the pain of betrayal rather than trust and companionship as normal...but it is the same."

"The Corsova Clan, in the end of their long 4000 year war...sent off their last message as hard as they could through the ether of the Barrier to Arceus...it was my tale...your tale...their tale, and it became His Plan." Enzlo said sadly, "It is the legacy of the Corsova...It is what the greed of humans has led to...You are the Avenger, I am the Messenger. His Plan...that I don't know...but for the first in my life Rook, as despite how I act and compose myself...I'm scared shitless..." The psychic type let out a chuckle. "

Rook flexed his paw lightly then and this time he felt his power surge through him, and the yellow glow covered his paw and his fur bristled before he relaxed, and then he looked at Enzlo, "The greed of humans...His Plan...what exactly...does this make me?" He asked, as he felt the water flowing from his eyes slow as he reigned himself back in from the intense feeling.

"Whatever you may wish it to be...the title was given, the plan made involving you, but not what created you as you were never aware of it..." Enzlo said lightly, as he assured his Lycanroc friend of what had begun to grow as a doubt in the rock type's mind. "Your suffering and past was no doing of any greater power, only that of one human...the unlocking of a partner pokemon's lifeforce like yours is unheard of, like a tens of thousands of years kind of thing, some would claim it was just a myth even in the Corsova. Some can achieve a momentary state of Connection, for brief seconds or maybe a minute with extreme practice, but yours is permanent, constant, it is unheard of. Usually only leaders of the clan could even hope to try and achieve it with their partner pokemon, and would repeatedly fail, and those that did become masters of it with their partner were never defeated in battle, which led credence to those who just called it a myth. When I was born into the Clan, there was only one who could achieve it, and could only hold it for ten to fifteen seconds with their partner. It is something that takes great work between both Pokemon and their human partner, as it requires their souls to mix together. Jack became fascinated with this power, wanted it for the wrong reasons, and the method of companionship and trust was not attainable for someone like him because of that. But the forming of a "Connection" is not limited to those feelings, he knew. He plotted...He used Oscar and Lilian as joint partners with your upbringing, it made it easier for him to make that connection with you, helped to soften the blow of his betrayal and avoid outright breaking it, while giving him the exact result he really wanted. With your rage, your pain, your sorrow, and your confusion towards the betrayal. You created a Connection through those emotions that day, unlocking your inner lifeforce, the source of your power."

Enzlo continued, as he would bring Rook's attention to his fight with the Mighteyana, who was telling him about his daughter being kept hostage. "No, close but...it's here..." Enzlo suddenly said, and the memory shot forward to when Rook had confronted Lilian, Jack, and Oscar together in the hallway. "This moment, this conversation, it was your focus point..."

"My focus...?" Rook echoed in question, and Enzlo did anticipate it, it was an acceptable question.

"A pokemon's focus, for the Corsova Clan, is your life's purpose, your drive, your aim, your fuel, the very moment you made your Connection. Companion pokemon in the Corsova Clan base themselves upon their Focus, build upon it, and try to use it to eventually become their Connection. You can answer for yourself how important this moment is to you, you repeat it to yourself daily, you go over the events in different ways, trying to find all the details. It is simple Rook, remember the message, 'The Avenger will appear, with rage, love, regret, and sorrow in his soul'. Your rage towards Jack, your love towards Lilian, your regret towards Oscar, your sorrow as you succumbed to those emotions that day. That was the moment you made your Connection to Jack, and how he unlocked the secrets of life energy. Emotion, raw, powerful emotion." Enzlo paused lightly, letting Rook take that in before he continued.

"You've repeatedly asked yourself the question, day after day. Why? Why did they do this to you? What did they want? This was your pokemon nature...now that you had this Connection, and you subconsciously viewed Jack as your Master, this link, it mentally killed you, it plagued your every thought. Why would he do this to me...? What happened to him...? You never asked Jack the why, and that is why unlike the other two humans involved, you blame everything upon him. Many would never fault you in taking, as your title suggests, your revenge upon The Defiler, or, The Devil Jack. Personally, I would've also called him a heathen, as he betrayed the trust between pokemon and humans with how he acted, left the Corsova Clan and used our teachings in twisted ways."

"It was in how you learned to forgive Lilian, it was how you were still able to mourn for Oscar even though you had to fight him for your life. You still want to know why...why did Jack do it all to you? You learned Lilian had her reasons, and her letter to you and your scarf became your mementos of her. While you mentally cut your link to her, as you eventually forgot about her letter in your days and struggles within the lab, you were never able to cut the emotion you felt for her, that connection to your soul you had created. That helped you in breaking free from Jack's control that day when she finally got the opportunity to rescue you. You no longer have a Master, Jack holds now power over you like that anymore, but your Connection still runs deep."

"You learned on the islands just days ago that Oscar had been deceived. He had truly loved you, you now understand him. Squeezed under Jack's thumb...he had no choice, or Jack would have killed you...You sensed his love for you when I told you about that Midday Lycanroc he had, whom you recognized as the first Jack forced you to mate with...he made sure your children, at least, would have happy families, and they did, all of them, most of them were of the Corsova...I know you said before you wouldn't want to know, but you do..."

"But you never could figure out why Jack did it...He didn't visit you very often during the two years you grew up around Lilian and Oscar, but the man who had been so pleasant and happy around you as a Rockruff, who took you to amazing places for short little adventures...How did he become so cold...? So empty? Why did he do it?"

"I already know why he did it to me, don't I?" Rook asked, to which Enzlo hummed. "To make me the strongest around...his prized possession, a trophy to show to his business partners, and to begin killing other pokemon with to extract the same power he had given me..."

"Is that it...? Did you ever ask Jack himself why?"

Rook tried to think, because surely, he snarled at him at some point down the line like he often did and barked it at him... "Just Why!?" but...no, he never had. Fear of the injections from the collar on his neck kept him from disobeying any orders Jack gave him. Barks and low growls were the most Jack allowed him.

"No I suppose I never had..." Rook muttered, the thought somehow gave the Lycanroc a feeling of freedom, as it masked over many of the painful memories of his time in the labs. "You said the Corsova Clan called this...'The Bright Star?' What is that?" Rook asked eventually, calmly keeping up with the details as he knew they were important, though he didn't know where it was leading to yet.

"The Bright Star is a legend..." Enzlo started, "At least it was thought and said as such, but your Connection and creation has shown that particular legends have fact so...It was believed one existed long ago. It is a star in the night sky that will never, never fade, shining many different colors, that exists to guide those through the dark when it claws upon their mind. It exudes warmth, and it is said to bring happiness to those who look upon it no matter their mood."

"Sounds like a hell of a legend..." Rook chuckled.

"There is more." Enzlo chuckled, slapping his tail lightly, "It was said that before the Bright Star was a star, it was a pokemon, back long before the first Human existed. This pokemon always sought challenges, difficulties, fights and battles. With a series of self imposed, brutal challenges, the pokemon's power grew and grew, and it began to beat every challenge it came across through sheer will and stubbornness. It seemed to live off the struggle, the rush and the adrenaline, of combat and of adventure and exploring and seeing new things. It would grew to such strength that it rivaled those of the Legendaries, yet without the responsibilities that such level of power usually entailed, free and unchained power. This would eventually bring about the attention of Arceus, who would appear before and commended the pokemon for their self grown strength but advised them to pull back on their power before they found themselves without challenge, and in a moment of its bravado, The Bright Star challenged Arceus himself to combat with stakes. If the Star won, Arceus would create for them a world of their own, where challenges were unlimited. If the Star lost, they would forever burn as a bright sun within the sky to guide others to their strength, never allowed to touch flat ground themselves again. Arceus agreed to this...and lost." Enzlo said it with a short shrug like it wasn't a big deal. "The sheer fountain of life energy that the Bright Star had created within itself outright overwhelmed the god. Their fight was watched by the main legendaries of Space, Time, and Realms, and they were ready to use their power to eliminate the threat that the Bright Star now proved to pose, but The Bright Star was graceful with their victory, as they were simply a free spirit, pure and without malice, just wanting to experience more and more, and proposed to Arceus a new arrangement. And so he created for them a world. This was the human world. The Bright Star would shine as the beacon in the night for this new world, as they would exist within the other realm of pokemon, their light instead would break through the barrier between the worlds and guided those who would need it within both, to led them where power and will was respected, where the strong led and taught the weak to succeed them as new leaders. Some were good. Some were bad. But all were great. Trial by combat was the way to make your voice heard, but power was viewed by how many you had following and learning from you."

Rook had to imagine what it may have looked like, a shining bright colorful star on the darkest of nights, where no moon or other star shined...its bright colors leading through to wherever it may lead. The personification the Abra painted with the story felt like it was a calling to every pokemon in existence...be free and wild, live how you'd like, respect who you believe gives it back, and remain true to yourself.

Enzlo felt warm that his clan's legends could evoke such a thought and emotion like it did from the Lycanroc. He smiled lightly as he recalled his honest annoyance when he was told the stories for what felt like the five hundred thousandth time, but now he understood why they were important. Rook was yet to understand that...

"The Bright Star would shine for thousands of years, and humans would grow alongside pokemon, following the guidance of the star. Contests of strength, companionship, and competitive progress allowed the Bright Star's new world to grow and develop rapidly. It is said the Bright Star suddenly vanished upon one fateful day - the invention of the pokeball. The very first instance of a pokemon's lifeforce being used by a human for technology..."

"Pokeballs?" Rook frowned at this, his reverie broken by something that seemed too simple in comparison to how the Bright Star was painted. "That...doesn't make much sense...that made something so powerful vanish?" Rook didn't remember much about his pokeball...though he knew Jack had one for him he never spent time in it.

"Your Focus, as you now understand it, was the point in which you accepted Jack as your Master, and for the Corsova, that's far different than being bound to a pokeball. A pokeball absorbs a pokemon, soul and all, and then 'traps' it. Pokemon will always say they can't remember their time in a pokeball, it's impossible to. You are aware of the world outside, but you are not aware of yourself..."

Enzlo paused, as he could feel that Rook was not understanding the meaning. "You are never aware of any time that you were in your pokeball, because it is impossible for you to. A pokemon's conscious mind does not enter the ball. When you're called to a ball, you don't remember the time you spent in it. You still view the outside world as if you never entered the ball, but you really are. It is experienced as a dream..."

"But...that's." Rook thought hard about several pokemon he'd seen out in the world.

"Scary to think about yes? You never know when you are in a pokeball, could you still be in one now? And this world and this quest is just a simulation and a dream made up to help you cope with how long you've been in it? You don't know. That is how the Corsova view a pokeball. It is a 'trap', a 'chain'. It was the first creation of a human that knew the Corsova Clan's teachings. They 'captured' the life energy of a pokemon into the ball, which could then be released at a later time, and the energy would recreate the pokemon's body at that moment, but they themselves? They are never aware of that time spent in the ball, they experience a dream-like state where they are still out in the world. When released from a pokeball, they are created as they believe themselves to be in the dream, in that exact moment from the dream into the waking world; same location, same body position, same mood, same energy level. Some of the Corsova believed that in 'capturing' a pokemon into a ball, you were killing them, removing them from the real world, from nature. Yes, they came back in a sense, but was that still really them from before the ball? That was the question they posed, and the human who created the ball couldn't answer."

"How can you really tell if you aren't?" Rook asked, hoping there was a way to know.

"A psychic type...they can tell you what is real and what is not." Enzlo rumbled. "I assure you Rook, you are real, this is not a dream. We are not in pokeballs, they do not exist in the world, and hopefully never will again." He chuckled.

Rook nodded, a light swish of his tail as he took a breath and let out a sigh, as good as that assurance did make him feel in the moment, it still left many things unexplained.

"I assure you...things will make more sense for it down the line." Enzlo started lightly as he could feel the Lycanroc's lingering confusion. "You understand what you are being told, that is all that is needed."

"So, what do we do next...?" Rook asked lightly, looking down at his Abra companion.

Enzlo grinned softly, "We continue to follow the message. 'The Avenger will appear with rage, love, regret, and sorrow in their heart, and will regain their own Focus with the measurement of his life to wield and master it.'"

Enzlo floated up and he reached out with his arm. Here in the world of his mind's eye, it wasn't actually physical, but much like the touch Rook had felt when Enzlo had used it upon him in Ruli's home before, the Lycanroc felt warmth from Enzlo, like it touched upon not just his face as Enzlo light brushed through his fur, but all over his body. "What you need is to find a new Focus...something you can still draw the same kind of power you do when you feel your rage towards Jack, without coming from such negative and hateful emotions."

Rook nodded in understanding, but it made him frown, "That doesn't seem like it'd be an easy thing to replace." How could he ever bring himself to discard those feelings...?

Enzlo shook his head and chuckled, "It won't be. Not one bit. And that's why I'm sorry I have to do what I'm about to do." Enzlo said, his fingers brushing across the Lycanroc's muzzle and stopping to press against his nose.

"What do you mean?" Rook tilted his head.

"Just told you, I'm about to do it." Enzlo snickered, and then suddenly the mind world Enzlo had created broke apart at the same time that he pushed with finger upon Rook's nose, shattering that world and bringing them back to reality.