Chapter 52: The Seal Breaks

  Yuki sat with her back against the cool stone wall, one wing draped just close enough to Auri’s side that she could feel the rise and fall of his breathing. The healers murmured softly around him, weaving their work in practiced motions.

  The last few days had been quite peaceful, though of course that couldn't have lasted. Auri lay stretched on the bedding beside her, eyes half-lidded, breath shallow but steady for now. The healers said the worst moments came in waves, and this was one of the rare lulls. Yuki clung to it like a lifeline.

  Her thoughts drifted, pulled backward through the blur of the past few days, and an unexpected warmth fluttered through her chest. Mainly her helping Auri learning how to read.

  It had started awkwardly, painfully awkwardly really. He’d sat stiffly across from her, tail wound so tightly around himself she thought it might snap. The moment he had admitted he couldn’t read, he had looked… small. Like saying it out loud had taken something from him.

  On the first day they had started with simple letters. The simplest shapes, Yuki tracing them on some parchment she'd gotten from Lira with a piece of charcoal. She ahd done her best to exaggerate the lines because she wasn’t entirely convinced he’d even look at them properly unless she made them big enough to trip over. After all she had to practically force him to go through with his own request of learning to write and read, too deep sat the embarrassment for him.

  After some coaxing he had properly focused on the task at hand and watched, brow furrowed and fully focused on remembering the shapes while Yuki explained what they meant. But after he tried to actually copy the first set of shapes, making awkward strokes and uneven curves, that concentration quickly turned into suppressed frustration.

  Auri was... not the most patient with himself. She already knew that from training of course. A lack of quick progress was to him the same as stagnation, and stagnation came from a lack of competence. But to Auri being competent was survival while stagnating meant that at some point a threat would catch up to you. He projected that mindset on pretty much everything, down all the way to simple things like learning to read and write.

  So she’d bumped him with her shoulder, cheerful and casual on the surface, but pouring every ounce of reassurance she had into the gesture. "It’s supposed to look messy the first times!" she told him. "If it didn’t, I’d think you were cheating!"

  He’d blinked at her, caught off guard, and the tiniest ghost of amusement had flickered in his eyes. Barely there, but she’d seen it. And it smothered Auri's frustration with his own perceived lack of progress for the moment.

  And like that they continued into the second day, where they had started going through the alphabet completely, followed by forming words. Yuki had gone through it one by one, exaggerating them to the point where even the guards stationed outside of the door dared to peak in and sahre a baffled look.. She hadn’t cared. Auri had, probably, but he was trying too hard to keep up to stop her.

  He had hesitated, he had stumbled, and he had second-guessed himself constantly. Still, he tried and that meant everything. And Auri wasn't one to give up either, no matter how uncomfortable he was with the situation.

  On the morning of the third day Yuki had gotten a little bit panicked with Auri being nowhere to be seen, but the guards, only two at that moment, had told her that he left for the archive chamber a few hours ago. Apparently he'd decided to continue practicing by himself. She had obviously followed the moment she found out, and together they had continued.

  That was the day where Yuki had actually started to write down simply words for Auri like 'sun', 'leaf', 'stone' and 'warm'. On day four they continnued with full sentences. And despite his progress not being fast enough in his opinion, in her eyes Auri was quite the quick learner, already writing messy not always gramatically correct sentences on a parchment.

  On the fifth day they had to stop their lessons for the moment. The closer the seal [Imprison] placed over Auri's type energy reserve came to breaking, the more Auri's body naturally tried to get rid of it as well. And that process was hurting him greatly. With him not being able to control his type energy it continuously lashed out against the seal, which even weakened forced the type energy back, which was an incredibly painful process according to the healers.

  Lira had made the executive decision to have healers permanently watch over Auri and roughly half a day later the pain became bad enough for Auri to pass out from it every time the breaking seal flared up. By now they had reached the point where the seal could pretty much tear apart at any moment now.

  Unwilling to think about the pain Auri had to be in right now, Yuki forced her thoughts back towards the past few days. Mainly the meetings. Oh, stars above, the meetings! She almost cringed just thinking the word.

  Days ago now, but it still felt like she was seated in that cramped council alcove, stone walls pressing in, Velari’s advisors staring down at them like they were two rare artifacts placed on a pedestal for evaluation. She could still smell the dryness of the room, hear the scrape of Lira’s paws on carved stone, feel the subtle coil of tension humming under Auri’s skin the whole time. And she herself... Well, she had done her absolute best to smile politely instead of climbing onto the table and yelling at everyone.

  She sighed and tucked her chin into her chest. Trying to look composed next to Auri had been an effort on its own with how he somehow looked even more composed under pressure. Auri never realized how much selfassurance he carried in his stance. That quiet and steady blade-sharp calm of his? It threw others off. They didn’t hear his uncertainty or feel his nerves the way she knew he actually felt.

  That first meeting had honestly been the worst of the bunch, mostly because they didn’t say the ridiculous thing they all were thinking. They danced around it like a troupe of clowns pretending to act dignified. They had implied, sure, but they had been entirely unwilling to actually outright state the importance they placed on Auri and him carrying such a valuable mega stone. It would've been funny if it hadn't been such an unnecessary waste of time.

  Auri wasn’t the incredible prodigy they took him for with some powerful Legendary as teacher. And while Lira only saw that as making Auri of equal standing with herself, Velari's advisors had almost acted like Auri stood above them.

  And the worst part? Auri knew exactly what they thought. And the more respectful they became, the smaller he seemed to curl into himself. Yuki had felt it every time. She’d nudged him under the table more than once just to remind him she was there as well, for if there was one thing Auri hated it was lying. And while what they did was strictly speaking only misdirection, she knew it didn't help Auri feel better about the situation.

  The second meeting on the following day, when they finally got around to actually talking about the reason they asked for these meetings in the first place, it had become somewhat easier, for at the very least Velari's advisors had stopped their veiled inquiries into their background.

  What Auri and Yuki had actually wanted to do was discuss their future plans, for as much as they hated it, right now Lira and Velari's advisors were the ones holding both her and Auri's fate in their hands. And both she and Auri really didn't plan on staying in the Umbral Abyss much longer than strictly necessary.

  In the end they had to pressure the wrong conclusions Velari's advisors had already come to by themselves. Mainly by trying to guide them towards the conclusion that Auri’s presence was a threat, a blessing, and a political grenade at the same time. Someone valuable enough to help out but too risky to actually keep against his will. Yuki remembered sitting there, watching Auri answering stiff, winding questions like he was navigating traps in a Dungeon.

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  "…and your teacher?" one advisor had asked. "You claim he remains aboveground, outside of the crater?"

  Auri nodded. "I believe it probable. No one who respects Lord Noctem or Queen Velari would dare trespass," he had replied incredibly smoothly, a technical truth conveniently simplified. It had actually been scary how goof Auri could be at manipulating others if he wanted to.

  "And he will expect your return?" another advisor had asked.

  "Of course he would," Auri had replied, voice sounding steady and confident. "We must reach them. They cannot enter the crater, so we must leave it."

  "And you know the rules," a third had added. "No one leaves except during the migration-window."

  "We know," Yuki had answered instead of Auri, knowing that each lie pained him. She had no such qualms however, "But we missed the last cycle because Newleaf Village couldn’t send a representative and they wouldn't exactly have just let us leave as you very well know. And in the end with the reawakening of the Storm Menace everything collapsed too quickly and became too chaotic. There was no actual option for us to leave."

  A low, thoughtful silene had followed her words. Velari's advisors had argued among themselves, half insisting the rules were sacred, the other half pointing out that exceptions existed for dire circumstances. And then came the question Yuki hated.

  "Is it even safe for you to leave? For us, we mean. If others knew you left, knowing what you carry… what was entrusted to you…" one of the advisors said thoughtfully, the others nodding along. Still, Yuki saw the flash of greed in their eyes, telling her everything she needed to know. Lira by now looked just as bored and anoyed as she felt.

  Yuki stepped in before they could press. "Auri won’t carry it openly. And it’s not your problem," she said with a polite bow. "The one who entrusted him expects his return and they will take security from there. That is all that matters, sin't it?"

  Lira’s expression had flickered with surprise, then amusement, then admiration. Yuki hadn't meant to sound authoritative, but apparently her patience had reached the end of its leash at that point. And Velari's advisors luckily didn't challenge her claims again after that. And eventually, after hours of structured arguments, whispered side-discussions, ceremonial pauses, and one particularly exhausting debate on whether the politics of the Umbral Abyss might be affected by Auri’s 'lineage,' they finally finished. Though personally Yuki found it dumb to discuss politics when Velari together with all of the Mythicals of the crater was fighting against Zuko and with Miu even having betrayed them. There was no balance left that mattered. These advisors just seemed unable to understand that fact.

  In the end they were allowed to depart, but only after the seal from [Imprison] on Auri wore off. Which suited them perfectly, seeing how they had never planned anything different. So they decided that after the seal broke their time would've finally come to leave the Umbral Abyss behind. At least for now.

  Suddenly something seemingly shifted in the air, her own energy sense picking up the change easily and pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a noticeable pressure drop, as if a Wailord was in the room with them and had just deeply inhaled. Her eyes snapped back into focus instantly.

  At the same moment Auri jerked, his whole body arching off the bedding in a violent, instinctive spasm, breath caught mid-inhale. For a heartbeat Yuki thought he’d been shocked by something external, but no, it was coming from him. His fur bristled in waves, for the first time in days electricity visibly rippling under the skin without light, without discharge, just raw, stifled power slamming against its constraints.

  "Auri!?" she called out, already scrambling forward, but he obviously didn't answer.

  His jaw clenched hard enough she could see the tendons strain beneath the fur. A shudder tore through him, then another, faster, doubling over into something like a tremor. The air grew denser as Auri's type energy slowly seeped out of his body, visibly crashing with the struggling seal that [Imprison] had put on his type energy reserve.

  "It’s happening! The seal's going to break any moment!" one of the healers hissed, all of them scrambling into position and readying their own type energy to stabilise him if necessary.

  Yuki had seen Auri hurt before. She’d seen him flinch through injuries, grit through exhaustion, even found him after his fall into the Umbral Abyss. But this... this was different. This wasn’t a wince or a gasp or a muffled cry. This was agony ripping straight through him like his very bones were being pulled apart.

  Auri’s breath shattered into sharp, broken sounds, half-gasp, half-choke. His paws dug into the bedding, claws tearing fabric in ragged lines. His back bowed sharply, tail stiffening, electric-type energy contuning tto writhe just beneath the surface as the [Imprison] seal fought its last desperate seconds.

  The healers tried stabilizing him, green light flaring bright across his chest, but the second their type energy touched the seal, it reacted. A violent pulse kicked outward, throwing both healers back several steps. Yuki’s heart stopped for a moment. She hated how useless she felt right now.

  Then the seal cracked. Fully this time. Yuki only saw him convulse a second time, harder, breath ripped from him, eyes squeezed shut, then a massive detonation as type energy violently exploding out of his body as the seal tore open like a snapped chain.

  Auri collapsed forward with a sound that ripped her in half. And then, just as suddenly, his breath dragged in. It was more like a gasp for air, but it didn't sound pained at all! A crackle fizzled under his fur, faint at first, then stabilizing into a soft, familiar hum. Static curled gently off him like dust motes catching the light. Not violent or uncontrolled, just Auri seemingly reconnecting to his type energy. The warmth that had been suppressed so brutally was now rising back to the surface, bright and trembling and real.

  Auri lay still for several seconds, chest rising and falling in strong, steady pulls, his face slowly relaxing from the vice of pain. Sweat clung to his fur. His paws trembled weakly against the bedding. Then he slowly opened his eyes, which were vibrant with emotions. And Yuki almost broke down right there.

  "Auri!" It came out half a laugh, half a sob. She didn’t even know which part won. "Arceus above, you scared me!"

  He blinked at her before giving a small nod before focusing on his type energy again, too preoccupied right now. Sparks danced faintly between his paws as he looked at them. A small disbelieving smile blossomed on his face. "…It’s back," he whispered with a deep satisfaction, voice still hoarse and shaking at the edges, but clearly filled with both relief and joy.

  Yuki’s feathers fluffed to twice their size. "Of course it’s back! You- You looked like you almost exploded getting it back!"

  He laughed, or something close to it at lest. It was breathy and tired, still laced with pain, but real. "Yeah, I would also prefer to never go thorugh that experience again."

  The healers finally recovered enough to approach again, checking him from a safer distance this time. One bowed low, still wide-eyed. "It is done," the healer said breathlessly. "The seal has fully broken and your type energy reserve and body have both sustained no damage. You… you endured it better than expected."

  Yuki paled at that, "That was still better than what you expected!?" But honestly, she didn’t care enough to argue. Her focus never left Auri, who was sitting up now, letting the healers inspect him, letting the static crackle harmlessly along his fur, letting the exhaustion settle over him like a heavy blanket. He still looked tired but he also looked free. She didn’t realize she’d leaned against him until his shoulder bumped hers lightly.

  "It’s okay," he murmured. "I’m okay now, I think."

  "You were absolutely not okay thirty seconds ago!" she shot back with a small glare, though she knew he wasn't the one at fault.

  One healer bowed and excused themselves. The other stepped back to give him space. Lira, who had been lingering at the mouth of the chamber this whole time, finally approached. "He handled that with remarkable strength," she said quietly and somewhat shaken as well, for once not looking down on them in her endless arrogance.

  "Auri handles everything with remarkable strength!" Yuki replied automatically, chest puffing with a mix of indignation and pride.

  Auri let out a soft exhale. "Yuki, Lira, if it's okay with both of you... I think I’d like another day or two before we leave. Just to… readjust to having my powers back and to truly rest first."

  Yuki nodded instantly. "Then we stay. End of discussion."

  Lira nodded in agreement. "You depart when you’re ready. To leave you have to get through a Dungeon after all. You should not go in there if you're not in optimal condition, I guess." Then she left them alone as well and the room finally felt peaceful.

  Auri leaned back against the bedding, letting the adrenaline drain out of him. Yuki settled beside him, close without touching, both because she didn’t want to overwhelm him and because her heart felt weirdly fragile in her chest. "Are you really okay?" she asked softly.

  He gave her a small tired nod. "Yeah. It still aches a little but... it feels right again. Like it should've been."

  Yuki closed her eyes, letting that relief wash through her, warm and dizzying. "So," she whispered, a wobbly smile tugging at her beak, "once you rest… we really get to leave, huh?"

  Auri looked at her and something bright flickered behind his exhaustion. A hint of excitement. "Yeah," he said softly. "We'll leave together."

  Yuki’s heart steadied. "Good!" she replied. "That’s exactly how it should be!"

  And with the storm finally past them, they let themselves rest for the moment, side by side, their future waiting just outside the cavern walls.

  Important characters in the chapter:

  Pikachu (Auri) – Level 16

  Ability: Lightning Rod

  Battle Nature: Lonely

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 75

  Attack: 49

  Ranged Attack: 44

  Defense: 52

  Speed: 58

  Total: 278 (Strength Level: Teenager)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Nuzzle], [Tail Whip], [Quick Attack], [Brick Break], [Thunder Wave], [Feint]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Thunder Shock], [Electro Ball], [Swift], [Thunderbolt], [Discharge]

  Utility Moves: [Nasty Plot], [Charm], [Double Team], [Growl], [Agility], [Dig]

  Torchic (Yuki) – Level 18 (Evolution Requirements Not Met, Stat Boost Applied)

  Ability: Speed Boost

  Battle Nature: Hasty

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 88

  Attack: 52

  Ranged Attack: 52

  Defense: 60

  Speed: 45

  Total: 297 (Strength Level: Teenager)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Scratch], [Quick Attack], [Feint], [Fire Spin], [Flame Charge], [Aerial Ace], [Counter], [Slash]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Ember], [Sand Attack], [Overheat]

  Utility Moves: [Growl], [Detect], [Dig]