January 31,

Denny told Phil his training was nearly complete.  He had become a master of many forms of martial arts and he could use many powers.  The only things left were to climb that stubborn wall, and well, Denny never told Phil the rest.  So, Phil climbed and climbed and climbed.  He began to doubt he would ever make it.

"Denny, how much further?"

"The more you ask that, the further it gets."

"Thanks for the criptic answer."  Phil started to wonder, the wall did seem taller.  He decided to not complain and just get the job done, and before he knew it he was there.

"Great, you passed the trial."

"How did you get up here so fast?"

"Just have a look."  Phil looked out and a nice easy pathway had appeared.

"Where did that come from?"

"The more important question is, where are you?"  Phil looked around, all he could see was a cave, but he had learned the to never trust just his eyes.  He searched the cave, and found that the cave was a lie.  He saw an expansive room with many odd looking stations.

"What is this place?"

"The final stage of your training.  You will make something, an amulet, staff or braclet to hold two different stones."  He pulled out an amulet, it was the Taijitu, with a strange white stone for Yang, it had a black diamond shaped stone in it, and a piece of obsidian with a strange multicolored stone with a symbol on it that reminded Phil of DNA.

"I recognize the Key Stone, but what is the other?"

"It is a  Z-stone set in a Z-Keystone that allows me to use Z-moves.  Once Kane evolves to Greninja I will teach him Dark Pulse with this TM and give him a matching stone.  Z-moves come primarily in an uprgraded form of a normal attack, powered by aura.  I have two matching Firium Z which you will attach to your Z-Keystone.  If you find more you can obviously use them, but they are quite rare in Campagna.  Most Z-stones are found in either Alola or Sinnoh."

"That is so cool, but none of my Pokemon have a mega form."

"Well, A. Mary can actaully Mega Evolve and B. you need to wait.  Unless your Pokemon can bear the pain alone, you will have to reach out and take some of the pain yourself.  Sometimes Mega Evolved Pokemon lose their cool if they take all the pain.  Also, another part of your training, out of tradition aura users work alongside a Pokemon of the Pawniard, Froakie, Riolu, Abra, Ralts, Togepi, or Meinfoo lines.  All these Pokemon have a strong connection to aura and can usually be taught Aura Sphere.  We will teleport to a daycare like area were one of these Pokemon lines members will join you."

"Ok, do I get an amulet?"

"No and Yes, you will have to make a holder for your stones yourself, it can be really anything."

"I think I want to make a staff."

"Then you need to start with the basic question, what will it be made of?"

"I think.."

"No do not think, feel, reach out with your aura."  Just then Blazer came bounding up.  He looked shocked at the cavernous size of the room.

'So, did you complete your training?'

"Sort of, we need to do some training."

"Phil, Blazer, reach out  together to find the material that will become your staff."

'Phil, I need an explanation.'

"Here."  Phil reached out to Blazer and shared the memory of what just happened.  Then turning as one Phil and Blazer sought out the base.  They both landed on a silvery colored tree that glowed with a strong aura, but they knew that the tree wanted them to see its aura.  The tree seemed to have a life of its own.  Phil wordlessly walked out, Blazer following behind.

"I hope that everything goes well for him at this stage."  Denny said to himself, as he walked deeper into the room to prepare the everything else.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Phil reached the tree, he looked at it closely.  He could see that it was literally glowing, as if to show him the way.  He approached it and a large, straight branch fell out.  Once the branch fell, the tree stopped glowing, and it was not as silvery as before.  Phil hefted the branch and started walking back.

  /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ 

"Phil, that branch, is spectacular!  It is strongly connected to aura, much like you.  Since you chose a staff it will undoubtly help you with combat, and maybe healing.  Use your aura to unlock the secret within the branch.  Phil reached out to the branch, and sought the source of its aura.  He found it, and poked it.  The branch exploded in slivery light.  When the light faded, Phil was holding a wooden staff that looked almost like silver.  "Now, a name, you must think about this carefully.  Your chosen name will be told during the graduation ceremony, to all that are present, after it is joined with the two stones."

"Ok, what is next?"

"Now to find you an aura using partner."

"Good, but I just thought of something, Blazer, why did you come up here in the first place?"

'Oh, I learned Flamethrower! It took forever, and I am actaually the last one, besides Evie, to learn a new move.  I learned Flamethrower, Craig learned Zen Headbutt, and Mary and Jes learned Iron Tail.'

"Good for you."

"Phil, come over here, I have a friend arriving in five, four, three, two, one."  As Denny finished counting a teenage boy appeared, alongside a Kadabra.

"Hey, Denny. I guess this yuppie is Phil?"

"I am no more a yuppie than those clod-hoppers of yours."

"Phil, Scotty, Scotty, Phil, I think we should get moving."

"Moving, why ain't you ever stopin' to smell the roses?"

"Why don't the three of us just travel to the, what did you call it Denny, a Daycare?"

"My ranch ain't no daycare.  We raise warriors."

"Guys!  Let's just go already,"  Phil interrupted before Denny objected.  Everyone nodded, and Phil returned Blazer.  They then made a circle holding hands with Scotty's Kadabra.  Phil sensed a tug in his stomach, and then he felt smothered and stretched.  He could barely keep his grip on the other's hands.  Then, just when he thought he suffocate, he reappeared.  He fell to the ground gasping.

"Teleporting can be quite the sensation to get used to,"  Denny informed him.

"I'll say."

"Well, Phil, why don't you just go for a walk.  You should find a Pokemon willin' to come with ya."

So, Phil let Blazer out for company and began walking.  As, he walked around the ranch he encountered several different Pokemon, until he came upon a Kirlia.

"Hello there."

'Cheerio, I suppose you are here to find you an aura using chap or lass.'

"Yes, I suppose I am.  Which of your forms do you want to become?"

'I wish that I could become a Gallade, oh, I have dreamt of becoming a Gallade since I was a young Ralts.  It would be ace if I could be one, but alas, these other lads coming through here think I should become an elegant Gardevoir.  They are barmy if they think I will give up my dream.  It seems blooming unlikely for me to ever get my dream.'

"Well, I happen to love Gallade, they always charged off into the sunset with knights in the bedtime stories when I was little."

'Well blow me down!  I would be glad to accompany a gentleman like you on your journey, just try not to bodge things up with my evolution.'

"I actually have a Dawn Stone, it has been a bit of a good luck charm.  Whenever you are ready to evolve just tell me."

'Then do we have a deal?'

"Oh, we have a deal."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Oh, hey Phil, see ya chose that Kirlia, ain't that a surprise.  He annoys the death out of everyone."

'My accent is blooming normal for me.  If it annoys you, bug off, your ridiculous draw is annoying to me.'

"Can we just quit fighting about accents?  Do they really matter?"

'Thank you, Phil, blooming accents really do not matter.  At least one person here is not a barmy git.'

"I happen to agree, accents do not matter.  Caring about accents would be the same as caring about my olive skin or Scotty's sunburned neck,"  Denny agreed.

'I also agree, and my hearing is so acute I can tell just about what town you are from if I have heard the accent before.  For example, Denny has a unique accent that is a mix of Johto, Sinnoh, Unova,  and Campagna, and Scotty here was clearly raised in Solaceon Town in the Sinnoh region.  Phils and his parents have the accent of someone from Nuvema Town in the Southeast of Unova.'  Blazer commented.

"My parents are actually third generation immigrants from that Nuvema.  I am surprised you could still identify my accent."

"Phil, I did not know you were from Unova."

"Well Denny, My parents and Granpop moved here about three months after I was born."

"Well, Scotty, I am going to need some help from you setting up a gateway for Phil's graduation.  We will not need a second help, because you can handle one end, and Phil's Kirlia can help on our end."

"Denny, what is a gateway?"

"A gateway is a teleportation gateway created by two Pokemon working together."

"Then we should probably get cracking,"  Phil responed.

"Yer darn right we should."

One Week Later,

They had spent the past week preparing the cave Phil had finally reached for Phil's graduation.  They had set it for Phil's birthday, and his parents, his grandfather, and a few aura users from the monastry, including Denny's father present.

"Phil are you, Blazer, and George ready."

'Are you barmy!  Of course we are ready.  We have been rehearsing for a week.'  George responded before Phil could answer.

"George, quit calling people crazy all the time."

'Would your prefer git'

"Idiot isn't any better, just try being more polite.  Yes, Denny, we are all ready."

"Then I will go start the ceremony."

Denny walked on stage, "As many of you know Phil as spent the past three months training to become an Aura Guardian.  He has trained in many forms of martial arts, showed much courage, and above all, has shown kindness and compassion to human and Pokemon alike.  Please welcome my student, Phillip Fredric Lewis."

Phil walked on stage amidst enthuiastic clapping from his family, and some nods of recognition from the other Aura Guardians.  He stepped forward and presented his staff.  Denny pulled two stones out of his pockets, a Mega Keystone and a Z-Keystone.  He placed them in two different knots on his staff.

"I dub this staff, Asta Argento, or Silver Rod,"  He slammed Asta Argento into the stage, sealing its name forever.  Blazer and George stepped forward.  "These are two will follow me through many tough waters, as will the rest of my Pokemon, and now the time has come,"  Phil pulled out two evolutionary stones, a Fire Stone and a Dawn Stone.  He tossed them in the air, and both Pokemon caught their respective stones.  Both Blazer and George glowed with a brilliant light, before settling into their new forms.  Phil then took a collar with Firium Z attached and put it on Blazer.  Then he took a necklace with Galladeite on it and hung around George's neck.  The ceremony finished Phil walked off stage, into a big group hug.

"We're so proud of you."

"Thanks mom.  Granpop, why have you had Horace following me?"  This question was followed by a loud thump across the room as Horace tripped on air.  He then became visible, and smiled sheepishly.

"How long have you known that I was following you?"

"Since the cave, Bisharp don't have black feet with red toes."

They all laughed at Horace's slip-up, and spent the rest of the evening celebrating.

Team Domination HQ,

"Has the report come in on your Greninja's injuries?"

"Yes, a rather powerful Aura Sphere blasted his side, but none of his Pokemon could have possibly learned the move."

"Yes, but... there is the possibility it was not made by a Pokemon."

"Then by what?"

"You mean by who."

"What, Aura Guardians are nothing but legend, Father."

"Oh, they are so much more than that."