The 25 Trials

by Paton Pendeng

Rating: teen
Tags: Alternate Universe, Adventure, Crossover
Length: 2636

Equestria is a peaceful place. Non-violence is a rule that isn't written, but is strictly enforced to the fullest extent of pacifism. Then, a warrior from another world who spent his life training to take on the best appears. What can go wrong?

Lucario, The Aura Pokémon.
This species has been classified as a fighting and steel type. They have the inert ability to sense aura, or the ethereal energy that one emits. Using this, they can understand the feelings and thoughts of another pokemon or creature while also being capable of understanding any form of speech. They tend to stay away from large cities as they tend to harbor negative or unpleasant emotions. Little is known about this pokemon as it is difficult to earn one's trust.

This is Auron. He has a dream, and life-long goal: to be the greatest pokemon warrior ever. To today's wild pokemon, this means training oneself without the aide of a human. Long ago however, this meant doing something very different.
Legend and myth handed down only by pokemon tell of a powerful group of warriors that was said to be made up of strong, legendary pokemon. It was called The 25 Trials because all pokemon who challenge them must beat every single member of the order to proceed to the next. If a pokemon could find and beat each one, then they would become known as one of the mightiest pokemon warriors. Rumor has it that it exists even today.
This is Auron's goal. He wants to take on this challenge and earn it's title.

There is one stipulation,

How is he going to achieve that in Equestria?

It's funny, how destiny works…

[size=12]This is a prequel story. Please be respectable. [/size]

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-10 04:06:05 UTC

Chapter 1

"You'll never catch me with my Extremespeed!"

"Yeah? we'll see about that! Hiiyaa!" A young Riolu was knocked to the ground by a powerful swipe. Looking down at it was a rather smug looking Machop.

"No fair, Chopper!" The Riolu shouted in outrage. "You cheated! No Foresight!"

"Hey," the Machop shrugged. "Maybe I just was fast enough to catch up with you..." He smirked.

"Oh, yeah?" The Riolu challenged getting to his feet. "Then catch THIS!" He tackled his friend to the ground. The two wrestled and rolled around. It was sunny, but today it seemed it was especially bright. A perfect day to spar and have mock battles.

"Hey guys," began a Haunter that appeared to be spectating with a Ching-Ling. "I think that's enough." Neither one of them appeared to hear the Haunter. In response, the ghost pokemon pulled them apart with an unknown force and dropped  onto the ground. "I said enough," the Haunter said in an authoritive voice switching from spectator mode to official mode.

"Aw, come on!" Chopper complained crossing his arms behind his head.

"Yeah, I was winning!" The Riolu agreed.

"What are you talking about? I had you pinned to the ground," Chopper argued.

"W-well, I was only holding back!" the Riolu shot back.

"You?" Chopper scoffed. "Holding back what, Mr. Knows-no-fighting-moves?"

"Well, at least I don't know only three moves!"

"Wait a minute, you have same number as I do!" Chopper rounded on the other.

"Maybe I actually know an awesome move that I never use like Hyper beam!" Riolu said turning to meet his rival.

"Yeah right! Let me guess, that Celebi that you met that one time taught you it, didn't she?" the Machop mocked. He pressed against the others forhead with a challenging look.

"I did too meet her!" he shouted pressing back defiantly.

"Stop fighting!" the Ching-ling cried. She covered her face and sobbed. "Friends aren't supposed to fight! I-I just can't take it!" She looked as though was on the verge of a breakdown.

"D-don't cry. Calm down Belle!" The Riolu soothed, his paws thrown up.

"Y-yeah, me an' Auron'll stop fighting!" The Machop aided, with a worried sweat building in his brow.

"Okay!" The Ching-ling flip-flopped, leaving the two very confused. After a moment, the four burst out in laughter. This was a normal day for these young pokemon. All of them were in a playful, happy disposition as most children are.

"I just realized something," he said pointing to the Haunter. "Blake's evolved!"

"Uh, rock-head," Auron said scratching his head. "News Flash! We've known about this! Remember when he came to us and you and Belle couldn't recognize him?"

"No- I mean, I knew that," Chopper blushed crimson for a moment. "I mean, well, look at us!" he gestured to everyone. "He's the only one that's evolved, which means..."

"We can't be far behind!" Belle sung out.

"Exactly! An' if we want to be caught by a good trainer, then we gotta get strong! Right?"

"Yeah!" The rest of them cheered.

"Then we'll have to start training! Once we get strong enough, then we'll evolve!" Auron reasoned. "Which means, you have to train a lot more just to catch up!" he accused pointing to Chopper.

"Say what?!" Chopper leered. The conversation was broken by a Hoot-Hoot who called out the time of day.

"Aw, man!" Auron sighed disappointedly. "I wanted to start training..."

"It's alright," Chopper reassured.

"Yeah, we get it," Blake said. The young Riolu looked to each of his friends before leaving.

"Thanks!" Auron ran across the meadow into the dense forest. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!" he called waving to them. He had to be home around noon to help with lunch. Unlike most his age, he didn't mind chores. In fact, he enjoyed it. His friends often caught him doing extra work when they came to play. Being good friends they helped out to help finish more quickly. Afterwards, they would always why he did the extra work. His response was never the same, because he didn't know why. He just simply enjoyed it.

~~~20 years later~~~

The peace of a forest is unlike most. It's tranquility is made apparent by any looking upon it. Whether it be in the scent of wildflowers carried upon the wind of a spring breeze or the calming shade that a stalwart tree provides on a hot summers day. Yes, truly there is almost nothing like the peace of a forest, and there is little that can end it.

...Well, almost...

In the clearing of an ancient forest, a thunderous roar rang out loudly, abruptly ending the tranquility within the forest.

A Lucario slammed into the trunk of a tree back first. It ground it's teeth in pain, as most of it's body was covered in fresh bruises and cuts. Another roar boomed loudly. The lucario squinted at the maker of this racket. It was a large Drapion that came thrashing through the tree line. It paused when it spotted the cause of his ire. It glared intensely at the heavily wounded Lucario.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!"

"Give it a break, will ya?" the Lucario thought. The Drapion ignored his mental comment.

"Alright, alright!" he grumbled getting to his feet. The Lucario brushed off dirt from his body nonchalantly. "I'm right here." He said sarcastically. "No need to shout."

"You..." the Drapion snarled. "You shouldn't be here!!" It's tail thrashed on the ground threateningly. "Get out of here!!"

"Hmph!" The lucario smirked. "No," he said flatly looking right at the angered pokemon. "You see..."

His half-hearted explanation was cut-off when the Drapion suddenly charged. In a split second, the Lucario jumped over its attack and landed in the middle of the clearing. A large crunch was heard a second later.

"If I run away, then I wouldn't get any stronger," the Lucario continued. The Drapion pulled itself off the remains of a tree trunk and twisted it's upper torso 180 degrees and growled in pure rage.

"From what I've heard," he began as the large poison type charged with it's claws dripping in fatal poison. "You were the strongest around here."

At the last minute, The Lucario stuck out his palm towards the behemoth, and a large white/blue beam exploded from it. The powerful attack met with the Drapion resulting in an unexplainable explosion. Out of the large cloud flew a figure of a Drapion flying far into the east side of the forest.

"I guess they were wrong," the Lucario said to no one as the dust cleared. He turned around to walk away, but doubled over in pain. He knelt on the ground sputtering for breath. Despite his cocky façade, the battle was intense. It was easily one of the harsher ones yet. It had been easy to get the pokemon to fight him. They were generally territorial, but regionally tended to be in deserts and wastelands. That's what initially caught his interest. a new Drapion showing self control. Well, enough not to start destroying everything. In battle, it was just as brutal as he had thought.

Suddenly, the Lucario's eyesight grew hazy and all too soon his mind began to swim.

"Well don't you look rough," echoed a voice in his head. His eyes widened at the voice. "I'll guess I'll fix you up... again..." The voice groaned. The Lucario winced in response to two tiny touches to his back. What followed was a large, bright sound resounding through the forest. The sound was bell-like, had seemed to calm the forest once more. As it ended, the Lucario's more serious wounds seemed to heal.

The Lucario took a deep breath inward and stood. He squinted his eyes against a harsh light that quickly faded away. Before him floated Celebi, guardian of the forest. There was a brief pause as the calm serenity of the forest took hold once more.

"What took you so long?" the Lucario said telepathically.

"Really?" Celebi spoke in an annoyed tone. "We haven't seen or spoken to each other in 4 months, and the first thing you ask is 'what took you so long?' No, 'how's it going,' 'it's good to see you,' 'thanks for saving my life again,' or anything that?!"

"... What took y--"

"UNBELIEVABLE!!!" Celebi fumed. The Lucario smirked and held back a snicker. The grass type picked up on this and sighed in exasperation. "Why do you always have to pick on me, Auron?"

"Because I like seeing you get riled up," he answered simply. Auron then began to walk towards the tree line followed by a pouting legendary pokemon.

"So... What've you been up to?" she asked floating next to Auron.

"Training," he answered before plucking a berry from a bush.

"Well, I know that," she said rolling her eyes. "Is there anything new in your life?"

"I beat a Drapion," the lucario communicated telepathically. He took a bite of the fruit after a thorough inspection.

"Yeah... I saw that..." Celebi picked a fruit from the bush and also took a bite. "You know, one of these days I might not be there to help you out."

"I've survived before, and I can do it again if needed."

Yeah, right... Celebi thought bitterly.

"Heard that." He smirked once more.

She sighed. "But it's true! If you keep looking for fights like this, your gonna get yourself killed!" She took a small bite of the fruit. "I don't want to see that."

"You won't." Auron finished the berry quickly. "At least, so long as you keep healing me."

"And if I don't? What then?" She hovered directly in front of him, staring seriously into his eyes.

"...I'll manage," he spoke aloud walking past her. Celebi sighed.

"I'll you'll be heading into the mountains to train then?"

"No," he said, pausing briefly. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason!" she said cheerily. She took another bite into the berry.

The Aura pokemon looked back at the Celebi munching happily away. His eyes squinted in suspicion. Auron was a pokemon who couldn't easily be fooled. Many have attempted to pull the wool over his eyes only to find it shrink in his dampening aura reading abilities. His black appendages on the of his head rose and his eyes became lightly tinted.

Through his eyes, he saw the Celebi and surrounding it was a veil of yellow light. Her happiness is genuine, but... Auron thought while focusing. His gaze soon fell upon a small thin layer of black energy mingling with the yellow.

"Celebi, I know your hiding something," Auron said aloud as his dreadlock-like appendages fell. "Tell me."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered. "I'm not hiding anything."

"Hmm..." Auron let the silence stretch for a moment. "Maybe I should train in the mountains then..."

"NO!" Celebi shouted dropping the berry. Auron looked back at her. "I-I mean..."

"Tell me Celebi," Auron said flatly turning around to face her.

"... Only if you promise not to go train in the mountains," she stated.

"Fine," he said unconvincingly.

"Promise!"

"Okay, I promise," he sighed. "Now tell me."

Celebi paused as a look of concern held itself on her features. "...Dialga and Palkia are gonna be fighting there tonight."

Auron's eyes widened in silence. Celebi stared at him apprehensively. "Now, remember your promise."

Her words seemed to fall on deaf ears as the Lucario turned and began walking towards the mountains in the distance.

"Auron, you promised!" she shouted, pulling on his arm in an attempt to stop him.

"Let go!" he snapped, throwing Celebi off his arm.

There was yet another tense pause as Auron seethed. "I have to do this..."

"You can't!" she cried. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"Then so be it," he stated coldly before dashing off towards the mountains leaving the guardian of the forest behind.

"... Fine!!" she shouted angrily as tears welled in her eyes. "Go and die Auron, because I never want to see you again!!!"

Auron quickly scaled the craggy peaks of the mountainside. He jumped and scaled impossible heights and fissures as though they were nothing. Despite this, he was inevitably slowed down by the quickly changing icy slope. As night fell, he came to a near stop as a harsh blizzard surrounded him on the mountain. He could feel the chill in the air turn to harsh daggers in his throat. His feet had lost all feeling and his arms were wrapped around himself tightly to endure the cold. His injuries from today's bout with the Drapion left the Lucario in a horrible condition for traversing the white-capped mountains.

His hope in finding one of the legendary pokemon had dwindled down and was now nearly nonexistent. Auron finally fell to his knees as his legs gave up on him.

"Damn," he thought bitterly. "I was so close." His thoughts seemed to slow down. "I... can't give up... but my body won't move,,," He inhaled a shuddering breath as ice tinged all over his fur. "I... can't.... stop... must... prove..." His eyelids drooped over his eyes and finally shut.

Krack

His ears twitched at the sound in the distance.

Boom

His eyes blinked open and looked up towards snow filled sky.

KRAKOOM

The wind whipped at him as the sound of breaking ice echoed hollowly.

There before him was a large dark figure pulling itself up from the ground. The gravity that it gave off was awe-striking. Auron squinted trying to discern the massive being. His pupils shrunk as he made out two red eyes glowing in the freezing dark.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!

The mountain seemed to shake at the ear splitting war-cry. Auron got to his feet quickly and took up a stance. Suddenly he saw another figure taking shape quickly blizzard. It too had bright red eyes.

It slammed into the other and hurdled haphazardly towards the Lucario. He attempted to run, but was caught in a wave of snow and ice. When he dislodged himself, he saw two bright lights shining in the sky. In the light he saw the two legendary pokemon Palkia and Dialga charging what appeared to be two powerful attacks.

From Dialga's mouth came the same roar as before only accompanied by a beam that seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time. Palkia responded with a slash that seemed to bend the reality around it. The two moves collided and Auron felt himself getting dragged towards it as the implosion sucked in the snow around it. What came next was a mighty explosion.

The two legendaries began charging their attacks once more as Auron acted on a moment of blind courage.

"DIALGA! PALKIA!" Auron shouted in vain. "HEAR ME!!"

The two pokemon fired their respective attacks and collided once more, completely oblivious to the world around them.

The Lucario felt himself getting dragged into the implosion of time and space energies. This time he felt himself lifting a few feet off the ground. "As members of the ancient order of pokemon!" Auron screamed landing on the ground. The two once more charged as Auron spoke, "And guardians of time and space!"

"I challe--" Palkia and Dialga launched their attacks and Auron was torn from the ground and into the center. The explosion echoed for miles. Soon, a crack of unknown energy rippled across the sky and stretched the entire length of the mountain range. Dialga bowed his head in defeat. Palkia roared in triumph before disappearing into his own domain. Dialga gazed upon the tear and summoned his power over time, quickly mending it before it got to the point of being trouble. When it was finished, the legendary disappeared into its own dimmension.

Meanwhile, Auron fell into the untempered schism where he was subject to the constant flow of time...