Chapter Text
They stopped in an open area with a big rock somewhat to the side. There were red berries growing on the side of said boulder and Lucario immediately went there as the others began setting up temporary camp. Ash headed over to Lucario, wanting to talk to him alone. He climbed to sit on the rock, overlooking the stunning surroundings.
Lucario didn't react to him until he started speaking “You know, it's funny.”
“What is?” Lucario asked, glancing at him.
Ash spoke again, glad to have the canine pokémon's attention “I came here so that I could find out more about my dad, but instead I find out more about an ancestor I didn't know I had...” he trailed off as he fished out the rings attached to a chain around his neck, making them clink together.
Lucario's eyes widened as he turned to get a better look “Those are-!”
“The Potter and Black heir rings, the ones you saw were the Head of House rings... I never knew why mom always told such a detailed story about Lady Black and Sir Aaron, especially since today I've heard a completely different version of the legend than what my mom always told me...” Ash trailed off before tucking the tings back under his shirt. After a moment he turned his head to look at Lucario “You wanted to know, right? What happened to Lady Black?”
Lucario nodded, wanting to know what had happened to the kind woman.
Ash looked into the distance “After Sir Aaron flew off on a pidgeot, Lady Black was soon to follow. She rode her arcanine towards the Tree of the World's Beginning, all the while cursing her husband.”
Lucario smiled, it sounded like the Lady, alright. He remembered many times when she resorted to very unladylike cussing to get his Master to obey her.
“Halfway there, a green energy started flowing from the tree and washed over the land. Arcanine came to a stop and the Lady hopped off, thinking that there was no need to go further since she could feel her husband in the energy.” Ash continued, smiling. His smile then dropped as he said the next sentence “She then collapsed in pain.”
Lucario jerked at that, his eyes widening as he realized what had to have happened.
“As you probably know, it was traditional for Aura Guardians to forge an Aura Bond with their spouse after marriage. It was used to put the pair at ease about the condition of the other in order for Aura Guardians to be able to focus on their missions and for them to know if something was wrong while they were away. Unfortunately, this meant Lady Black felt Sir Aaron dying through the bond, leaving behind an empty feeling that would bother her for the rest of her life.” Ash continued, pausing “As if that wasn't enough, after returning to the Castle, the healers examined her for any ill effects caused by the bond breaking and discovered that she was pregnant.”
Lucario was feeling off-kilter. The Lady... had been with child.
“Devastated, Lady Black left Cameran Castle, knowing she'd never be able to raise her child there with her family gone. She also knew people would look down on her for being a single mother, no matter who her husband had been. I don't know where she went, but she never did return to the Castle.”
Lucario turned away from the boy, not sure what to make of this new information. He'd assumed that Sir Aaron had abandoned the castle, but if this story was true, he had died at the tree and somehow saved the kingdom. But that didn't explain why his Master had sealed him inside the staff.
“Mom used to tell me this story after I had an accident with my own aura, but no matter what, I could never get a story about dad. I guess I can see why, something similar had to have happened on the day dad died.” Ash said, looking down “Mom hides it, but sometimes I wake up and find mom crying in the middle of the pokémon that live in the house, so I know mom and dad had to have had an aura bond... and that it snapped when he died. I'm surprised it didn't result in a miscarriage, for either Lady Black or mom.”
Lucario looked down “I... I had no idea the lady was with child... if she was unaware of the fact that I had been sealed away, then she must have thought she'd lost the both of us...”
Ash glanced at him before looking at the scenery again “Yeah...”
The Aura pokémon looked at the raven-head “You are my master's legacy, as such, I feel obligated to guide you in the use of your powers. You mentioned an incident?”
Ash grimaced “Yeah, my then ex-friend, Gary Oak, left me in the woods near Route 1 and I got lost. In the crying fit that followed, I leveled about five trees and scared off all the pokémon. Thankfully, Godric found me and brought mom to calm me down.”
Lucario raised an eyeridge “Godric?”
Ash blinked “He's a braviary. They're pokémon the size of pidgeot, but much more colourful. I'm sure you'll meet him once mom gets here.”
“You sound sure that she'll arrive soon.”
Ash shrugged “It's mom. And knowing mom, either Sirius or Godric is gonna be used as transportation. Possibly both.”
“And Sirius is?”
“Mom's arcanine. He's great to play with and one of mom's most powerful pokémon, and I think he's also mom's first pokémon. He was also basically my babysitter when I was really young.”
Lucario's eyeridge, which he'd only just lowered rose again at the explanation “You and your mother have a unique relationship with pokémon.”
Ash nodded “I've noticed. I catch more than I probably should, but mom takes care of them so they don't get lonely. Meanwhile, mom's pokémon were probably the only safety net available after dad passed and they helped raise me as much as a pokémon can raise a human. I miss 'em, but at least I know mom will always be safe so long as they're coming along wherever.” he ended, gesturing vaguely towards the world in general.
Lucario nodded contemplatively. It was obvious the boy loved his mother very much and that both family members loved their pokémon very much and trusted them too. It made him wonder how they trained. From what he'd understood, those in this time with pokémon usually had them do battle, which meant they had to be trained. Did they do it in a similar way as sir Aaron trained him? Or in some other way? Perhaps he would get to witness it.