Chapter 152: Why Did You Say I Was Your Girlfriend Just Now?
"The Aura Force, I suppose you've both heard about it through stories of the Aura King," the old man began, his slightly clouded eyes gleaming with pride.
"He was the pride of Wave Aura Town. Our little town even became known because of him..."
Hikaru and Latias exchanged a glance.
It seemed that the inn they'd randomly chosen had led them to someone connected to the Aura King.
The photo on the counter confirmed it. When Hikaru had activated his Aura to sense the lingering energy in the room, he'd picked up a trace of Aura Force from that photograph.
Even decades later, the residual power was impressive.
It wasn't hard to imagine why the young Magnus had become the youngest Pokémon Master of his time.
Even through the years, the Aura left on that photo was leagues stronger than Hikaru's own.
Magnus, at just seventeen, had likely reached a high level of mastery in the Aura Force.
By comparison, the strongest special ability Hikaru had encountered thus far was Sakura's Dragon Mastery. Based on what he'd seen, her power was undoubtedly advanced, capable of boosting her Pokémon by 4-5 levels in battle.
Magnus's Aura was clearly in the same league.
The old man continued, "When he first partnered with Riolu, he was just a spirited young boy, shouting about becoming a champion in the national high school league. Nobody believed him at first."
"But he did it. He became the champion of the high school league, and it was the happiest day of his life."
"From there, he rose to fame in the youth league, showing everyone what he and his Riolu—eventually Lucario—could do. Wave Aura Town flourished, and people came from all over to see him."
The man's voice grew somber as he reached the next part of the story. "But over a decade ago, a great upheaval swept through the Pokémon world. Many Pokémon went berserk."
The old man's eyes glistened, and Hikaru, sensing his grief, remained silent.
"At first, the weaker Pokémon fled into town, and we managed to fend them off. But as the days went on, stronger and stronger Pokémon began appearing. They were too much for us."
"People begged Magnus to return and help. He left his gym challenges and rushed into the forest behind the town."
"The Pokémon riots stopped soon after. But Magnus... never came back."
The weight of the story settled on Hikaru. The old man's voice was calm, but the undercurrent of sorrow was palpable.
Beside him, Latias clung to his arm, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Such a tragedy... so heroic..." she murmured, struggling to find the right words.
"Tragic," Hikaru supplied softly.
"Right, so tragic!" Latias sobbed and clung to Hikaru even tighter.
Hikaru patted her head gently, trying to comfort her. He thought to himself, She didn't cry this much even when Manafi left... Why is she so affected by this story?
Perhaps Latias had a sensitivity to tragic endings. If so, Hikaru considered incorporating more bittersweet stories in the future to collect Joy Conversion energy.
The old man interrupted his thoughts. "Well, that's all there is to it. Whatever you do, don't go chasing after the Aura Force. Nobody knows how to acquire it, not even Magnus explained it."
The man waved them off. "It's getting late. Go upstairs and rest."
"Thank you, Grandpa," Hikaru said, standing. He pulled the still-sniffling Latias along, wiping her tears as they went.
As they climbed the stairs, the old man's voice trailed after them, "You've got a sensitive girlfriend there, boy."
"Cough, cough..." Hikaru stifled an awkward laugh as he hurried upstairs with Latias.
Inside the modest room, there was indeed only one bed. The furnishings were old but clean and well-maintained.
Latias, still emotional, sat on the bed, her eyes puffy and red.
"Latias?" Hikaru called softly.
"Mm," she hummed, looking at him with watery yellow eyes.
Hikaru sat beside her. "You know, you're not so different from the Aura King, Magnus."
"Huh?"
"Think about it," Hikaru began. "You and your brother, Latios, are the guardians of Alto Mare. You've kept it safe for years, protecting both the people and the Pokémon who call it home."
Latias blinked, tilting her head in curiosity.
"If the water in Alto Mare were ever poisoned or disturbed, it would harm everyone—humans and Pokémon alike. But thanks to you and Latios, it's been peaceful."
Latias's form shimmered as she reverted to her original shape, floating closer to Hikaru.
"Really?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope.
Hikaru nodded, his hand resting on her smooth back. "Of course. What you and Latios have done is no less important than what Magnus achieved."
"But... we've only recharged the Soul Dew twice..." Latias said shyly, her small hands fidgeting.
"Twice is more than enough," Hikaru reassured her.
Latias's face lit up with a radiant smile. "Yay! Latias is amazing too!"
She transformed back into her human form and hugged Hikaru tightly, clearly overjoyed. The small room prevented her from floating, so she settled for holding him close.
Hikaru let her enjoy the moment, feeling the boost in Joy Conversion energy.
When she finally released him, her next words took him completely by surprise.
"By the way, Hikaru," she asked innocently, "why did you say I was your girlfriend just now?"
End of Chapter
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