The walk was quiet, though Ralts did not notice so much. At some point, she had transferred to riding the shoulders of the guard, head resting between his bright red horns. With tired eyes, she watched the trees pass by as they made their way home.

She could sense when the guard sent out a psychic message, presumably alerting everyone else about her. Idly she searched for who else might be out, but her range was still very limited; she could not sense anyone.

“You holding up okay?” the guard asked after a long silence.

“‘m tired.” she mumbled.

She could feel the amusement wafting off of him. “Yeah, going head to head with a pack like that does that to you.”

“You’re not tired at all!” she accused.

“Nah, I’m exhausted too. But I’ve trained for this, and I’m bigger than you as well. I can deal with it.” He smirked. “Who knows, more escapades like this and you might be as tall as me soon.”

“Do you really mean it?” she whispered. Staying awake was becoming a difficult prospect.

“Of course! Stressful experiences like that are the fastest way to achieve the form of Kirlia! Though,” he backtracked suddenly, realizing what he was saying. “you should not disappear for an entire day like this. These woods are dangerous you know, and… huh.”

He paused, and only heard soft breathing in reply.

She woke up in darkness, illuminated by candlelight and a soft shine from far away. Soreness emanated from her legs, and her mouth was dry. Rubbing her eyes, Ralts sat up and beheld the familiar comfort of her room which was located within the cave.

Her bed was a semi-carved alcove in the wall, liberally padded with dried grass and other greenery. Next to it was a large, flat boulder which held a few trinkets. A rusted old spearhead lay prominently next to a faded red hair clip at the edge closest to her resting place. Other things were strewn further back, such as a collection of interesting rocks (The transparent green one was her favorite.) and even a small skeleton of a Magikarp that had two tails.

What caught her attention was a small cup of water next to a burning candle. She took a large drink and coughed as it stuck in her throat. Emptying the cup, she gingerly swung herself out of the alcove, grimacing at the lingering ache. The rest of her room was somewhat empty. A small yellow ball found on the trails rested on the floor, and a worn out replica of a Surskit made out of grasses laid on another rocky table. The walls were occasionally marked by her own amateur attempts at artistry.

Putting the candle out, she gingerly made her way into the main cavern of her home. Her grandfather stood at a table against the wall, muttering to himself. She brightened up immediately, ache forgotten.

“Grandpa!” she exclaimed, latching onto his waist.

“Wh-! Oh dear,” he said, turning around. He knelt and hugged Ralts in return. “It is good to see you up and about. I admit I wasn’t expecting this for a little while yet.” He pulled away and looked her over. “Are you feeling well? Are you hurt?”

Ralts shook her head in the negative. “I’m all right. My legs are really sore though.”

He smiled, relief blazoned upon his face. “I am glad. You hadn’t come home when the dark came in, and nobody knew where you had gone. I was so worried.“

“I’m sorry.” she mumbled.

“You’re safe now, that’s all that matters.” he murmured in return. Pausing, he continued, “Though, I must ask a question. Please answer truthfully, what were you doing out so late?”

Ralts froze. A myriad of excuses, each worse than the last, raced through her mind. “I… I got lost?” she tried, weakly.

Her grandfather stared at her blankly, then sighed. “I see.” Turning around, he reached back toward the table. “Would the reason happen to have something to do with… this?” Facing her once more, he held in his hand the Pokeball from yesterday morning.

She boggled at the small device. “I- what- how?”

“It was on the floor by the entrance.” he stated. “Nobody but us has come into these caves for three days, and yesterday morning you lingered at the entrance. Hiding something?”

Whatever formative plan she had begun to make wilted and died at her grandfather's questioning. She nodded, ashamed.

“I see.” he murmured. His eyes sharpened. “You asked about humans before you disappeared. Where did you find this?”

“I…” Ralts hesitated. “Yesterday morning. I was picking berries on the trails- I’m sorry!” she pleaded at his disapproving frown. “The berries there are so much bigger I… well, nothing had ever happened before so…”

He didn’t say anything. At her pause, he motioned her to continue.

“Ah.” she stammered. “I, ah, well. Yesterday, when I was about to go home… two humans snuck up behind me and- and tried to capture me.”

“Oh.” he breathed. “Oh child.”

“They had a zigzagoon, and it knocked me around a bit.” she rambled. ”I… they threw that at me. I saw it coming, and dodged into the bushes and ran for it. I found it after they left.”

There was a moment of silence. “After you asked your questions, you left the village. Where did you go?”

Ralts hesitated once more. Mustering her courage, she responded. “I went north. To the human city.”

“Oh.” Her grandfather looked ready to faint, his hands trembling mightily. “Oh, what have you done?”

“I don’t-” Ralts reached out to him, but drew back at a sudden advance.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and spoke forcefully, “Did they see you!? Did they follow you?” His eyes searched hers in a panic.

“I-” Ralts was taken aback. “N-no! They didn’t see me! I was hidden the entire time!”

He held her gaze for a moment more, before exhaling. “Good.” Releasing her, he stood to his full height. “What were you thinking!?” he scolded. “You could have gotten captured! They could have found us! You- I-” His face twisted, his voice lowered to a whisper. “I could have lost you.”

“I just… I…” Rats felt tears prick at her eyes. She wringed her hands together, robbed of any reply.

Her grandfather stood in silence for a moment longer, then sighed. “Can you tell me why? I know I have told you before that humans were trouble. Why in the world would almost being captured spur you to travel into their city?”

Ralts sniffled, then rallied. “I don’t really know. I mean, after they left, I found that ball they threw at me in the forest. It, well.” She held out a hand. After a moment's hesitation, the aged Kirla gave her the device. “It was like nothing I had seen before. If you press the button-” The pokeball shrank to a fourth of its’ size. “it shrinks, and if you press it again it grows.” She demonstrated, and her grandfather looked incredulous.

“That’s it?” he said. “It’s just a pokeball. I don’t see how-”

“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’?” Ralts said, shocked. “That’s amazing! They’re tiny little balls that can shrink and grow on command! And, and the humans keep their companions in them! I saw a full Zigzagoon pop out of the one! It was alive and well, and, and how did they do that? How does this thing work? I just… I…” She trailed off, suddenly self conscious of her rambling. “I know you told me about them earlier, but seeing it for myself was different. I just wanted to know more.”

“Hmfh. There are better ways to satisfy curiosity than charging straight into a human city!” he frowned. “Were my lessons not enough? I’m one of the most knowledgeable people here and yet-”

"No!” Ralts interrupted. “No, it wasn’t. Everything I’ve ever heard about humans were either warnings or horror stories. Everything else is just… bits and pieces overheard from whenever we weren’t so scared that we ran away at the first sign of them!”

“Of course we do.” His tone was wavering, confused. “You should know by now how dangerous they are. There’s nothing of worth to be had from them, how can you even argue this?”

“You didn’t see what I saw!” she accused. Gesturing wildly, she explained. “I was there, in the city! I saw structures made of stone and glass rise taller than any tree! They had boxes with moving images in them, which talked and showed faraway places! I tasted their food, and it was sweeter than anything I had ever eaten before, and they threw it away casually like garbage! I heard a wordless song from an old man who created it with wood and strings, it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. And they ignored it.” She stalled, breathing heavily. After a moment she continued in a more even tone. “If they can ignore such wonderful things, there must be something even grander out there to make them seem dull. I’m just… I want to see it. I want to see all of it.”

An uneasy quiet took place once more. Eyes wide, her grandfather seemed shocked. “I…” he started. “Even so, you can’t do this again. If we were discovered, we would surely all be caught by these humans. Here in the forest, we are safe-”

“They went to the moon.”

“-from discovery- what?”

“I said, they went to the moon. I heard it from one of their picture boxes.”

Incredulity wrote itself across his features. “You can’t be serious. Humans can’t fly, and even so, the moon is so far away-”

“They did!” Ralts roared. “They built a giant ship that goes up and they went to the moon and now they’re going to build a giant house there!”

The elderly Kirlia had the distinct feeling he was losing control of the argument. “Well, okay. That’s incredible. But what does that have to do with this?”

“Because, if they don’t mind flying toward the stars to reach the moon, why would they have trouble finding us here, eventually?” Ralts pointed outside. “I saw their city, and for all its size it was still growing! They’re not going to stop at the edge of the forest. They’re going to keep coming, until by luck or accident, they find us.”

He shook his head. “Whatever the case, it’s still not safe out there!”

“It’s not going to be safe here for much longer either!”

“Then what would you have me do!?” her grandfather snapped, temper wearing thin. “Go up to the humans and politely ask them to stop!? There can be no resolution! They would not even listen to me for a second! Whatever they’ve done, they are still humans, and the humans would still capture us!”

“Then I’ll make them!” Ralts shouted, surprised at her own outburst. “With this!” Brandishing the pokeball still within her grasp, she proclaimed, “You said that the best trainer made all the rules, right? With this, I will become that trainer and then they will have to listen.”

Her grandfather's expression could be best described as that of a freshly caught magikarp, open mouthed and shocked beyond comprehension. “Have you gone mad!? Becoming a trainer? What in the world are you thinking, you can’t do that!”

“Why not?” she challenged.

“They would sooner capture you!”

“Then I’ll disguise myself!” she retorted.

“What foolishness- No disguise could possibly conceal you! We look far too different!”

“Then I’ll trick them! We can use our powers to make light shows, or daze creatures, why could I not use it to deflect suspicion?”

“Stop! Just- stop, for one moment!” Ralts stilled. Had she gone too far? Her grandfather closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He shook for a second, then clasped his hands together and exhaled slowly.

Another moment passed, and then he cracked an eye at her. “Do you know why we are here? Or rather,” he amended. “why there is a village at all? The reason we do not all wander in the wilds aimlessly like all other species?”

Ralts frowned. She didn’t remember hearing this story. The question had never even crossed her mind. The village simply was. “I’ve never heard that story. Why?”

“Hm. It is important history, though I suppose I cannot fault the others for not passing the story along. It happened so long ago.” He beckoned her over to a rocky table, where they sat. Ralts fiddled with the pokeball still in her grasp. Her grandfather eyed it. “I suppose the first question is, have you heard of our Ancestor?”

“Ancestor?” Ralts frowned. “I think I’ve heard some of the old Kirlia say things like,” She adopted an exaggerated voice of a crone. “‘Back in my day, the Ancestor would have sorted this mess out right quick.’ Is that who you’re talking about?”

Grandfather nodded solemnly. “She was a Gardevoir.”

Ralts gasped and leaned forward. The third evolution of her kind was extraordinarily rare. “Like my parents?”

A flash of sorrow crossed the old Kirlia’s face. “Not quite. Your parents were regular gardevoirs, as far as that term can be applied. The Ancestor was different, and though she vanished a mere few seasons before your birth, I can remember that frightening woman to this day.” He leaned back. “She didn’t look like a regular gardevoir at all, no. Your parents, they had solid green hair, eyes like rubies. My son had a coat of a pure cloud, and your mother’s was a dress of fresh snow. Graceful and precise, their dances were beautiful.”

Ralts felt that old ache in her heart. She had never gotten to know them, and never would. Her grandfather's words provided a tiny bit of catharsis.

“But the Ancestor, her coat was marred by streaks of darkest pitch; her hair was stained with spots of clouded water, and her eyes shone in blood. Even her horn was cracked in twain.” He stared into the distance, reminiscing. “She was a true terror. Even crippled as she was, she exuded a power greater than anything else I have ever known.”

“Crippled?” This Ancestor seemed scary. What was her relation to the village?

“Mmm. Yes, she was crippled. Every time she used her abilities, she said her body lit up with an intense fire. What she could bring to bear at the hardest of times was amazing, and yet it still felt like a stream was running a route that once carved a canyon. Even as she was, she was our protector, our leader. Her abilities were enough to ward off even the Mightyena.”

“Warded off the Mightyena? I thought you said my parents…?”

Her grandfather nodded sadly. “Mmm. When she vanished, her protections faded over time. Eventually, the leader of the wild dogs in the forest decided we were a fit meal. Your parents objected and, well. I have told this story before.”

Ralts dipped her head low, and fiddled with the ball a bit. Composing herself, she returned to the matter at hand. “Why are you telling me about the Ancestor?”

“Because she is at the root of the matter. The reason that she is called the Ancestor is that so many years have passed that we all can trace our forbearers back to her. She was the founder of the village.”

Ralts stared in disbelief. “What? That’s crazy! She couldn’t have been so ancient!”

He chuckled. “Indeed, even when I was young, she was ancient. My grandfather knew her, and so did his grandfather. She was old beyond compare, and oh, did she loath humans.”

“Amazing, to live to such an age, and in such a state!” Ralts wondered at it, before the last part caught her attention. “She hated humans? Why?”

“Because it was the actions of the humans that crippled her.”

“What!?”

“The story is fragmented, and she kept her past hidden, but she told this story every so often. To remind us. When she was young, she herself was the partner of a human. Back in ancient times when the distinction between a pokemon and human didn’t exist. And it was the consequence of that partnership which caused her to lose so much of herself. Whatever happened, she fled that world, leaving naught but dust and hatred behind her.”

“She gathered every one of her kind she could find on the continent. We moved here, deep into the wilds. She took pieces of knowledge from her time with the humans and taught us how to be that slightest bit better, and then we were able to build all this, humble as it is.”

He sighed, suddenly seeming every bit his age. “She warned us of them continually. ‘Do not go near the humans, they will capture you, and hurt you.’ With her tricks nobody ever wandered near, and those brave few who left were never seen again. When she left us, leadership was passed to your parents as the only remaining gardevoir. And now it is shared amongst us old folk. Every day I wonder if today is the day it all falls apart.”

“I am scared,” he admitted, looking her in the eye. “I am scared of what they could do. If they could do such things to her, then…” He sighed. “My son is gone, and so is your mother. I don’t want to lose you too.”

SIlence fell. Ralts turned the situation over in her head. What her grandfather spoke of seemed almost impossible in the face of what she had witnessed. She couldn’t imagine a place that held such marvels to be capable of also performing such horrors. But then, she hadn’t seen much, had she?

“I still want to go.” She said.

Her grandfather looked at her incredulously. “After all that I have told you, you still pursue this ambition?”

Ralts made an affirming hum. “I get that horrible things were done to her. I get that. But… it was very long ago, wasn’t it? The people there, in the city… I can’t see them doing such things. What I said before still applies as well. We can’t stay here forever, and you said yourself that whatever she did to protect us is gone. I need to do this.” She stared her grandfather down, steadfast.

The seconds ticked by as he stared right back, but then he sighed. “Stubborn, you are. Just like your father. I suppose you got that mouth of yours from your mother, too.”

“You’ll need a cloak, I think.” He continued. Ralts’ eyes widened. “Maybe a hat? You’ll need to learn illusions as well-” He grunted, interrupted by an abrupt impact. Smiling, he returned his granddaughter's hug.

“Thank you!”

“Don’t thank me yet. We’ll have to do a bit of preparation, and there’s still the fact that you need to fool one of those professors into thinking you’re human. But, first things first, you need a name.”

She blinked. “A name?”

He chuckled. “What, you didn’t notice? Humans aren’t psychic and don’t talk via telepathy. They use their voices, and they can’t just identify someone by their mental signature. So they need to single people out with a personal name!” He patted her head. “Took me a bit to figure that one out too. And I didn’t go sneaking around a city!”

“So!” The elderly Kirlia kneeled, and clapped both hands on her shoulders. “As your grandfather, it is my pleasure to grant you a name! Something worthy of the hope you seek to bring us, I think. My son, he was like the night, harmonic in nature and of calm mind. Your mother was like the day, with a burning spirit of fiery passion and determination. Haha, I think I’ve got it!”

Ralts jittered, giddy at the prospect. “What is it? What is it?”

“So, the humans think they can go wherever they please! They can have the moon, I say.” he said with a flourish. Spreading his hands, he continued, “We’ll go even further beyond! Granddaughter, I bestow upon you the name Astra. A name fit for the heavens. A rising star amongst the unknown. Fitting, wouldn’t you say?”

Astra grinned.

“Now, let’s see about that disguise…”