บท 61: Aura users

"Getting to have Pokemon early is a massive advantage is it not?"

"Not really, you know that winning eight badges gives you a pass for the Indigo tournament of next year too, right?" Titus asks.

I didn't but I still nod my head.

"So, you see most people are not expected to do well in their first tournament as their seniors will also be participating. And most trainers hit their limits aka no more noticeable growth for their Pokemon after two years. My dad says the growth plateau makes many people leave competitive battling."

"So, only people like us or Ash move forward towards the ace league, while other starts working towards jobs in their interested fields. After all, the Pokemon journey is about exploring the world and finding out what you like to do," Titus says.

"What stops older people with older Pokemon from joining the Indigo league?" I ask, making Lumina groan.

I know I should have asked these questions at the start of my journey but give me a break, the battling, the strategies, the world captivated my mind making me live in the present too much.

'Now I think about it, I think it's time for me to have at least an idea about the Pokemon I want in my team.'

"You didn't know that and-" Titus cut off Lumina and started to speak.

"The indigo tournament is age-restricted. Not human's age, mind you but Pokemon. Dragon types are exceptions owing to their slow growth, but the age limit is three."

"Which is too high, if you ask me. No new trainer can catch a Pokemon older than a year as Pokemon near routes are always heralded out by Wild elites to make space for younger Pokemon."

"Anyways, there are separate tournaments for older trainers that sometimes mix with the ace league. But those are not so famous as competitive battlers go into Ace leagues, the other tourneys are for leisure trainers who like to participate in battles as a hobby."

I nodded at him, digesting the new information.

Seeing I had more questions I needed answers to, I spoke.

"Titus, why don't we continue the conversation Lumina interrupted before over a beverage."

Titus just nodded but Lumina started to whisper something to him, I let them be and turned around to see Ash staring at me.

"Won't you join us, Ash?" I asked.

"Ok, Milkshake sounds good," Ash nodded, licking his lips.

"Pika Pikachu." The Pikachu climbed onto Ash's head and nodded at me.

We entered the centre's cafeteria; Lumina went away after glaring at me one last time.

We sat on a table slurping our milkshakes, with Ash and Pikachu crying out, clutching their heads now and then, due to brain freeze, but continued to slurp the shake vigorously.

"Does every Aura user feel irritated when in the room with someone of opposite affinity?" I asked Ash, he interrupted me when I was going to ask Titus this question, so it seems fair he answered it.

"Well! How much do you know about the classification of aura users?" he asked, clutching his head as he once again drank the shake too fast.

"Nothing!" I said with a smirk.

"Oh! Man," he exclaimed.

I gave the cute Pikachu, who completed its drink and was eyeing Ash's, a treat before taking it into my arms and starting to pet it, carefully avoiding the electrical pouches on its cheeks.

It was easy with the Pikachu guiding me to the best spots.

Ignoring the Pikachu who melted on my lap, Ash began.

"Aura users are classified as Psychics, Elementals, Rudras and Mystics.

(A/n: As you can see, I need help. Suggest some cool names to replace Rudra's and Mystics pls.)

Elementals are further divided into Natural elementals like Water, Flying, Fire, Rock, Grass, and Electric. And Master Elementals: Ice, Steel, Poison, Ground.

Fighting and Normal normal aura users are termed as Rudras.

Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, Dark and Bug as Mystics."

Ash said before gesturing for Titus to take over.

"Psychic aura favours humans. Elementals and Rudras auras are truly neutral. Then comes Mystic aura, the auras that embodies concepts furthest things from humans, the peak concepts of reality."

"You don't see a slumbering Dragon or Ethereal Ghost and say that humans come to mind when you observe them. In fact, your thoughts will be quite the opposite. Concepts, Auras that are inherently too great to ever be associated with humans are classified as Mystics."

"Mystic aura users are the rarest of all the aura users, so they have some additional quirks. Fairy and Dark both being Mystic auras that react to each other made you feel irritated in Lumina's presence."

"Only Mystic aura users face this problem though."

"And as how when a Pokemon's thinking process gets streamlined when type energy is pumping through them. Streamlined in the sense like how a dark-type Pokemon prefers to strike from shadows or how Dragon-type Pokemon don't like to bow down(evade) to any moves."

"We humans, aura users, also get influenced if we use our aura abilities. Mystic aura users have the most unique side effects which turn harmful in the long term. You don't have to worry, when I mean long term, it is long term- like half a decade or decade."

"Why is the league keeping me in the dark about these?" I asked.

"As you know people start exhibiting their Aura abilities after their tenth birthday and at the start, they will be very subtle- nearly absent. Even the truly rich people can only bring forward the aura abilities manifestation time by two months to give their children a head start."

"The League informs the trainers, who have potential, about aura after their third gym badge. And that is quite early in some cases. But you are so talented, you have more control of your mystical aura than Lumina who was specially trained for that. I think she also shook off the aura effects partially. The remaining effect coupled with your attire made her glare at you, she is a bit of a diva but is a good person."

"I wouldn't be surprised if even some of your aura abilities are already showing visible results." I nodded at that and asked.

"Does that mean my Pokemon also experience more growth multiplier than Pokemon of other aura users?"

"It doesn't work like that.. I think. The growth rate of Pokemon is not an exact science. It is only generally observed that talented aura users have Pokemon with fast growth. Many factors influence a Pokemon's growth rate. Your talent in handling auras may or not translate to an increase in your Pokemon growth."

"But your Pokemon's growth is only a little higher than what is expected from the smart aura users, But the excellent control you have over aura makes you aberrant. So you have to visit a professor if you want an exact answer or you can just wait and compare their growth."

"There should be a reason why you have that much control over your aura though," Titus said scratching his cheek.

We bid farewell; Ash started to run towards the battlefield as Titus slowly walked away.

"Pika Pika," Pikachu waved at me before running after Ash.

I entered the Pokemon centre and booked a room.

Titus did say I was talented in control of my dark energy as I easily adapted to Lumina's Fairy aura.

But I think it was because of how the affinities are similar to my personality instead of talent.

I mean being an anarch makes me uncontrollable by psychic and ghost types which are famous for their authority over sapience(thoughts) or invasion of privacy.

My parents made me inherently reject any kind of authority and I had an immeasurable need for privacy too, due to their controlling nature.

My aerial elemental affinity complements my need to be unchained and free like a bird, to fly over all disturbances in my life and go wherever I want.

As they complement my personality well, maybe it looked like I had their auras under control.

I mean I always felt like if other people could induce negative emotions in me, they had some power over me. Twisted.. but it is something I developed when I was under my parent's care, to efficiently use my time and to cut off the need for human contact or appreciation.

If their praise means nothing so does their criticism.

So, my dark aura quickly negated the effect as it is its nature to be uncontrollable and fight the Fairy type energy.

So, I doubt I had some special talent. But if I have it, I hope my supposed talent can help me form my barrier quickly.

The barrier is essential for the augmentation ability of aura users and also works the same way the awakened barrier works.

Xatu said it just clicks someday and I was anxiously waiting for the day.

That night I dreamed of standing in the middle of a battle between Apex Pokemon and shrugging off the attacks that hit me laughing the whole time.

...…..

Yesterday I messaged Celia that I was in Pewter and was hoping to use the gravity nexus.

So, now I stood outside the centre waiting for the Pokemon that was supposed to teleport me to the facility.

Suddenly my surroundings twisted before I was in a room. It looked like a waiting lounge with sofas and a snack bar.

I observed the room to see if I could find the Pokemon that teleported me.

Not finding anyone -human or Pokemon, I walked towards the room's exit only to bump into Amanda.

"Hey! How are you? Are you excited to use Gravity Nexus?" she asked multiple questions before gesturing for me to follow her and started walking away, not even waiting for answers.

I shrugged and followed her.

"Hey! Do you think the Psychic Pokemon will find it difficult to teleport a strong aura user?" I asked.

Amanda turned around in shock.

"Who told you about that? You are not supposed to know."

'Oh! Right. Amanda doesn't know about my deal with Xatu.'

"Someone, definitely not you. They even said you and Madlyn are elementals." I smirked at her, trying to annoy her.

"It's unfair! We are not supposed to tell you for your own sake. Tell me what affinities you have?" Amanda demanded.

Well, she connected the dots quite quickly and rightly assumed I have two affinities. Scary!

She got another smirk along with a raised eyebrow as an answer from truly yours.

She huffed and opened a door after walking for 10 seconds while giving me a side-eye.

A room filled with all kinds of sci-fi equipment greeted me.

Her grandfather stood in front of a giant tube full of green-coloured water.

I suddenly experienced déjà vu.

'Blaine was supposed to be a gym leader or am I missing something?' I wondered. Seeing the man in his lab standing in front green tube somehow felt familiar.

"Grandfather, tell me his affinities," Amanda asked her grandfather, jolting me from my thoughts.

"He can do that?" I mumbled.

"You know it's too early into the league for people to exhibit their aura abilities. And are not supposed to barge into my lab, Amanda," Blaine reprimanded her, but there was not much heat behind his words.

"Just sense him. Someone told him about the aura and their classification. And that happens only if he displayed some of his aura abilities, right?" Amanda challenged her grandfather.

"Hey, you know I am here, right?" I asked, my eyes scanning the shiny equipment.

The duo ignored me.

"That's still an invasion of privacy. Wait until your mother hears about this," Blaine said, but before he could get back to whatever he was doing, Amanda clutched his hand.

"Please, Grandpa." Amanda used puppy eyes on her grandfather and it was super effective.

Like every other grandfather, Blaine gave to the power of cuteness.

Blaine closed his eyes before looking at me with some appreciation in his eyes.

"Anarch and Aerial. Now that's rare," Blaine muttered rubbing his chin.

"What?" Amanda exclaimed.

"Why don't you prepare the Nexus for your friend here?"

"Go on!" Blaine pushed the shocked Amanda out of the room before she could come to terms with what she heard.

"Sorry about that. You can ask something for compensation if you feel that I invaded your privacy." The bald doting Grandpa looked at me seriously.

'Meh! I just teasing Amanda. I was going to reveal my affinities after I had some fun with her, but I won't say no to freebies.'

I looked at him seriously.

"How about a moonstone?" He looked surprised before snickering loudly, even clutching his stomach.

I just asked about the first costly thing that crossed my mind to check how rich he was. I mean I know I was asking for too much for something that can't even be called an offence, but who knew how rich people thought?

Maybe this guy had moonstones stashed somewhere and was going to reveal it when his head was about to be chopped off by the Marines* cough*

"I didn't enter your mind young Leo, but sensed the energies you are emitting," Blaine said after getting his laughter under control.

.......

I couldn't quite get myself to watch One Piece because of the number of episodes and the old animation. What do you, One-Piece fans, think? Should I watch the live-action or wait for the remake, however long it may take?