<i>The journey to Utsumi had proven itself a far greater task than any of the trainers had imaged when they set out from Saisho days before - but they had found the small farming village a warm and welcome relief from the trials Yugen had confronted them with. They soon learned that the villagers had been preparing for a festival, a celebration and offering to appease the angered spirits.<br/>
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The day that followed saw a hopeful dawn, and though their trials continued, the trainers felt for the first time a sense of peace and hope returning. The memory of Saisho had begun to fade. They strode out in aid of the village, putting themselves and their Pokemon to good use.<br/>
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Naomi, Steven, and Aisha set off with an expedition into the southern forest. The trip turned out to be no leisurely stroll as the expedition was set upon by Pokemon. Though wary and injured, their ranks were bolstered by the battle. Alert, they led the way through the forest, freeing the villagers to gather what they needed unhindered while they talked of coming drinks and celebration in the trainer's honor.<br/>
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Meanwhile, Jake and Lydia found themselves as the lone guardians for Aiko, the granddaughter of the village matriarch. She, the youngest of the village had been chosen to be the Dancer of Utsumi, and the speaker for the village to the island of Yugen. As they stepped foot into the spirit forest, Jake and Lydia were suddenly confronted by the realization that they were in a foreign, alien world unlike any they had encountered. The distant bellowing calls from deep within the depths of the tangled wood were unrecognizable to them, and every step felt as though it were being watched. Aiko told them of her fear, and the honor, of being the chosen of the festival. She told them of the days long ago, that the dancer of the festival was herself the original offering to the spirits - giving herself over to them to serve as recompense for the slights that had drawn their ire. <br/>
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Aiko told them of the tale of mighty Hariyaku and the beautiful Kiyoko - the myth of the princess so beautiful that the great Pokemon spirit Hariyaku fell in love with her when she would visit his woods. She was promised to a prince of a distant land, however, and Hariyaku grew angry, bringing suffering upon her village. The festival dawned, and Kiyoko, knowing of Hariyaku's love, offered herself to him to free the village from his wrath. Not fearing Hariyaku, two brother, Reiku and Raiku ventured into the forest to free the princess. The brothers escaped with Kiyoko by deceiving Hariyaku in the darkness of night. Hariyaku, angered at the loss of his beloved, chased them across the land and sky - and every day when night fell he would chase upon the clouds, forever seeking Kiyoko in the darkness below.<br/>
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Aiko presented the shrine deep within the woods, and began reciting prayers of invitation to the spirits. As she lit incense and prepared the shrine, Jake and Lydia became acutely aware that they were not alone. Something lurked beyond the twisted, gnarled trees... something ancient, and powerful. When Aiko finished making the invitation to the great spirit, they set off to leave. They found relief as the village came into view, for with every step they felt as though something was nipping at their heels, reaching for them and grasping at the edges of their minds.<br/>
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The expedition had returned from the southern forest, bountiful and excited, singing the praises of the heroic trainers. With Aiko safely returned as well, the final preparations for the festival began as the afternoon began to near its end. But as the village and trainers worked merrily, an annoyed woman seemed certain that something was missing from their festival supplies... and something else was certainly  missing as well. Eleyna was no where to be found.</i><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-size: 22px"><i><span style="color: blue"><b>POKEMON: Yugen</b></span></i></span><br/><br/><b><span style="font-size: 18px">Episode 5: </span></b><br/><i><span style="font-size: 18px">The Dancer of Utsumi!</span><span style="font-size: 12px"> -- Part 2</span></i><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>A pair of eyes peered through the underbrush, low to the ground, wide and alert. Unblinking they watched, hidden within the foliage. The four Mankey in the tiny meadow were unaware that just beyond the clearing something lay in wait.  The eyes scanned across the Pokemon, watched their bantering. One dragged a brown leather sack from behind a tree and disappeared up to its squat legs as it reached inside. The eyes flashed wide, darting within the brush and fixing upon the bag.<br/><br/>Eleyna tried to lean in closer, to see what the Mankey had in the bag. Her Yukata was restricting her, so she loosened the belt, the robe falling looser upon her, freeing her within the brush. She crawled ever so slowly, eyes narrowing as she watched the Mankey and the leather sack. The Pokemon tossed something from the bag, colorful, flat,  and Eleyna's blue eyes followed as it flopped and flipped through the air and landed on the grass. She leaned forward, eyes focused sharply on the object, a branch hooking beneath her Yukata and pulling it. She could feel the heavy humid air on her chest as she took careful, measured breaths.<br/><br/>She withdrew slowly backwards, the hem of her yukata riding up her thighs as she retreated out of the underbrush to the nook  between the trees where Growlithe waited. She rose to a crouch in her leather, mud spotted boots.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">That's them alright... and the Omamori...</span>She breathed, quietly, looking down at the Pokemon.<br/><br/>Growlithe leaned down and looked through the brush, his predatory gaze darting between flickers of movement visible through the leaves and brush.<span style="color: blue">Four of them, though... Mankeys. </span>Eleyna said, leaning low and whispering, her yukata hanging loose about her chest. The air in the forest was dense, humid, and did nothing to help cool her sweaty, dirty body.<br/><br/>Growlithe snorted slightly, his fur matted and dusty with dirt, streaked bloody where he had been wounded. He watched through the brush, sniffing the air. He could smell the Mankey, the Pokemon may as well having been right next to him with his acute senses. He sniffed again as a half breeze danced through the brush and he got a nosefull of the sweaty woman beside him instead. His nose twitched, her scent telling him that she was excited. He snorted to clear his nose of her, sniffing again for the Mankey.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Do you think you can take them...?</span>Eleyna asked, crouched down beside the canine Pokemon, the Yukata's split falling open across her inner thigh and hip so close to her groin that the edges of the short black curly hair were starting to show.<br/><br/>Growlithe grinned, an intense look in his eye, as he breathed in the Mankey. The urge to pounce filled his body like a wound up spring. He reached a paw forward but stopped short when he felt a hand on his back. He looked up at Eleyna tremlbing with the desire to attack. She stared earnestly down at him, her fingers in his mane holding him steady.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Growlithe... do you think you can take them?</span>She repeated, her blue eyes fixed on his. The stare was unnerving, it was penetrating. It was cooling.  Growlithe closed his eyes, gave a deep snort, smelled her in his snout, the scent of the woman - not of a Pokemon. His hackles settled, his mind steadied. He felt the aches, the sharp pains in his wounds. He drew a long breath, looked up at Eleyna and shook his head. Eleyna stared at him and smiled from beneath the brim of her blue and white hat, the Boulder Badge glimmering in the rays of sun that filtered down through the treetops.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Ok... Ok. hold tight.</span>She whispered to him, giving him a gentle pat.<br/><br/>She grabbed her pack resting against the tree, removed the Pokedex Naomi had rebuilt. Eleyna flipped it open and grabbed the embedded reel of cord and plug hidden beneath small hinged plate at its base. She pulled the reel and small plug on its end out, getting a few inches of cord, then biting down on it to keep it from retracting. She reached down to the Trainer's Belt that hung loosely on her hips and pulled the lone Pokeball from it. She gave Growlithe a little grin as he watched. She plugged the cord into the small socket on the Pokeball.<br/><br/>The Pokedex lit up, reading the energy signatures within and displaying status of the Pokemon within as it connected. Scyther, male. Readouts indicated hormone levels, physical properties, various injuries. Eleyna pulled a small flat plastic transparent disk case, the silver disk within glistened with a rainbow of colors across its surface as she slid it into the slot of in the back of the Pokedex. The Pokedex began to whir as it spun the disk to speed, reading the data on the HM.<br/><br/>Growlithe watched the woman as she hit keys on the Pokedex, focused intently on the little bright screen. He watched her, waited. His red eyes trailing along her arms to the Pokedex, to her blue eyes absorbed in the device... down across the Yukata that was loose, hanging about her chest, the swell of her breasts within. She had pale skin, he noted - a contrast to her black hair... all of her was pale. Right down to her exposed legs. He looked at the fringes of black hair between her thighs that was visible at the edge of the Yukata.<br/><br/>The Pokedex made a small chirp which made the Growlithe's ears jerk toward the Mankey, listening for a change in their awareness. The Pokedex uploaded the technique the disk contained to the Pokemon within the Pokeball, downloading the muscle memory and reflex directly into its energy matrix. The progress bar filled, and the Pokedex stopped whirring. 'Upload complete. Scyther has learned<i>Cut</i>.'<br/><br/>Eleyna ejected the HM and shoved it back into her bag, unplugged the Pokeball and the cord whipped as it retracted back into the Pokedex automatically. She paused for a moment, Pokeball in hand. She took a deep breath and looked at Growlithe, and he back at her. He was ready. Eleyna triggered the Pokeball, the energy stream contorting and coalescing as the matrix formed in a flash and before her was Scyther. Crouched down in the dirt, the Pokemon was as tall as she was.<br/><br/>The Pokemon blinked with his large, angular eyes, peering at Eleyna, Growlithe, then around at the brush. His injuries still looked fresh from his battle with Growlithe not long ago. Eleyna pulled a Potion from her bag, the one and only thing she could afford from the shop in Utsumi, and leaned toward Scyther, settling on her knees. She planted a hand firmly on the Pokemon's shoulder as she began strategically spraying the important injuries as the Pokemon watched her. She could feel the tension in him, the bridled anger. He was freshly caught, and it would take a while longer for the Pokemon to complete acquiesce to her control. Even so, it would have required a colossal force of will for him to attack her - an effect on the Pokeball's energy matrixing.<br/><br/>Growlithe watched him closely. The Scyther's eyes moved from Eleyna to the fire Pokemon.<span style="color: blue">I know your still pissed, but we're in a tight spot. </span>She whispered.<span style="color: blue">You did a number on Growlithe and he's more outnumbered than he's comfortable with...</span>Eleyna stopped spraying as the Potion reached half empty. She set it down and placed her hands on Scyther's hard shoulders.<i>God, its like armor</i>, she thought to herself.<span style="color: blue"> so that leaves you and him to work together alright?</span><br/><br/>The Scyther was confused, he looked at Growlithe, a Pokemon that he had been locked in battle a very short time ago.<span style="color: blue">Hey,</span>Eleyna said, putting her hand on the Scyther's chin and drawing his face back towards her. She smiled at him sweetly.<span style="color: blue">Come on... for me?</span>The Scyther blinked. He looked into the big blue eyes, and sighed as his shoulders drooped in resignation. He rolled his eyes and nodded. Eleyna smiled and planted a kiss on the Scyther's cheek.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Alright... So here's what I'm thinking...</span>She began, applying the rest of the Potion to Growlithe's wounds.<br/><br/>...<br/><br/>The Mankey hurled a stick at the other, angry. The wooden projectile bounced off its targets head, turning the Pokemon on its heel and sent it raising a ruckus in counter protest. They ran at one another, tussling and wrestling with flailing arms and grunts on agitation. The other two Makney in the meadow looked on in bewilderment.<br/><br/>A rustling in the brush on the other side of the clearing drew their attention suddenly. They all jumped, one grabbing the trunk of a tree ready to climb, the others, once untangled from one another hopped and hooted angrily, waving their arms at the potential predator. Their hooting promptly stopped as a woman rose up out of the brush wearing a loose garment. The four Mankey stared at her, surprised. She gave them a coy smile and waved, turning and presenting her hip to them. She drew the hem of her Yukata up slowly, exposing her leg, inch by inch until it was raised halfway of her butt. She winked and pursed her lips in a mock kiss toward them.<br/><br/>A large drop of sweat rolled down the Mankey's head. They stared, wide eyed and frozen. Not one of them having any idea what was going on, or what to do. They stared at the exposed leg, the comely look about the girl. They didn't even react when the brush at their flanks exploded as a Scyther and Growlithe launched at them.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>There was no broader a smile that a person could have had than the one upon Eleyan's face as she strode from the treeline, Utsumi before her, two bags slung over her shoulders. She was dirty, sweaty, her Yukata loose, and half open, streaked with dirt, and her boots covered in mud. The Pokeball belt hung at an angle from her hips, and she couldn't have had a care in the world in that moment as the sun reached the horizon and turned the sky gold. She was happier than she had ever been in her life. She stood tall, a trainer.<br/><br/>Growlithe walked beside her, bruised, cut, and smirking. They strode as conquering heroes. On the hill before the spirit forest, the festival was alight with color as hanging paper lanterns were lit in shades of gold and red. Banners and flags rolled in the breeze, and on it Eleyna smelled all those things that made had made the festivals such a magical thing to her childhood - incense, the burning fires, and the smell of such delightful treats and succulent foods. She had left it half built, a mere promise of what it could be, and now she returned and it was before her reborn from the raw materials into something magnificent. No more promise and potential... it was real. She was real. Nothing could ever take this moment from her. Nothing. So she walked without a care, Yukata flopping loosely about her, belt at her hip and smelling to high heaven of sweat and earth.<br/><br/>She walked the dirt street between the houses in Utsumi, and gave a solid knocking on one of the doors. It slid open, the man inside a mess of anxiety and worry. She straightened up as he saw her. Eleyna smiled triumphantly and dropped the bag of Umamori charms at his feet, a few of the brightly colored charms spilling out.<span style="color: blue">Next time, don't let the Mankey run off with you things.</span>She told him sternly. He was overjoyed and dashed forward hugging her tightly and fell to his knees bowing and thanking her over and over.<br/><br/><span style="color: darkgreen">Arigato Gozaimasu! Arigato, arigato!</span>Eleyna looked down at him and rubbed the back of her neck beneath the wild ponytail.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Ataa... come on its not that big a deal.</span>But she couldn't help but smile.<br/><br/>The man grabbed the bag, so overjoyed that he nearly dropped it.<span style="color: darkgreen">Arigato gozaimasu!</span>He bowed repeatedly then ran past Eleyna toward the festival, yelling.<span style="color: darkgreen">I found them, I found them!</span><br/><br/>Eleyna watched him go, and crossed her arms, smiling. Growlithe sat beside her on the wooden deck.<span style="color: blue">Well, our first great mission...</span>She looked down at the Growlithe. She smiled, admiring the Pokemon for a moment. She reached down and ran her fingers over his head. He looked up at her.<span style="color: blue">I couldn't have done it without you... partner.</span>Growlithe blinked then snorted, trying to play it cool, and shifted a little, embarrassed.<br/><br/><span style="color: darkorange">Eleyna! My goodness where have you been, girl?</span>Eleyna's ears perked as she heard the familiar voice. The woman who had let Eleyna sleep at her home was dashing toward Eleyna as quickly as her elaborate kimono would allow her. Her hair was done up and help in place by a jade comb.<span style="color: darkorange">Ah! And your a mess! Look at you!</span>She said, looking at her Yukata.<span style="color: darkorange">Oh no, this won't do at all... you need to get cleaned up - come on then, back to my home... I've got an old kimono for you to wear when we get you all cleaned up. Hurry, hurry, hurry! We can't be any later than we are already!</span><br/><br/>Eleyna was whisked away into the house and gave herself a quick washing. Sure enough, as she emerged, the woman had lain out a beautiful blue kimono, embroidered with golden clouds and hemmed in shades of violent. The old woman helped her into the kimono, setting the sash with the large bow about her waste and wrestling with Eleyna's hair in remarkable speed. When she finished and Eleyna stood, the woman gasped, and stared, tears welling in her eyes.<br/><br/><span style="color: darkorange">Oh... well look at you. </span>She said, smoothing the edges of the kimono.<span style="color: darkorange">I've not seen this being worn since... You're even prettier than I was at your age.</span>She said.<br/><br/>Eleyna smiled and gave the woman a hug.<span style="color: blue">You've been very kind to me...</span><br/><br/><span style="color: darkorange">Oh you... as I said: once a mother, always a mother.</span>She held Eleyna's shoulders, looking at her. She sniffed and blinked the tears out of her eyes and gave Eleyna a stern look.<span style="color: darkorange">Come on then, all your friends are already at the festival. You'll be just late enough to turn those boys heads if we go now. Come along, chop chop.</span>She ordered and ushered her out of the house.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>Eleyna felt the excitement rising as she and the old woman walked up the hill toward the festival. The sun had fallen and the hill was alight against the backdrop of the spirit woods, twinkling and glowing with lanterns. A great bonfire had been built which burned brightly in the night. Above her, running between the posts that had been set were lines from which paper lanterns hung, kanji drawn upon them spaced between folded paper charms.<br/><br/>Stalls had been erected where woks fried foods and meats were grilled on skewers. She spotted an array of kegs, and given the number of rosy cheeks and hearty laughs near them, she surmised they were filled with sake. Villagers sat around tables laughing and eating, dressed in their finery. The women wore Kimonos of such color and intricacy, that Eleyna had to imagine they were for strictly such occasions as this. She spotted Brollem near the bonfire, dancing with abandon. She had to laugh watching the broad man try to move like he was young again, cup in hand, slogging sake about.<br/><br/>The stage was something else to behold entirely. A great Torii stood before it, hanging from its edges were crimson banners and torches around the edges of the stage. A complex wooden lattice ran the stage's length, the woodwork depicting the forms of legendary Pokemon. Handing from them were great woven murals of the Ho-Oh and Entei, of Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltress, standing over, or perhaps artistically watching over, villages of people below. On the stage were several villagers dressed in Kibuki, playing out some mythical event while a small band played before it.<br/><br/>It was like being a young girl again, being led through the street as a festival was put on during a holiday. But there were no street lights, no buildings or cars, no sounds of televisions nearby. Here, beyond the reach of civilization, the festival had taken on a life without equal, unfettered, with distraction.<br/><br/>Eleyna saw a table with the Omamori upon it. She suppressed a grin, quite certain the man had made sure he had kept the village none of the wiser of his blunder in losing them - or of Eleyna's venture to retrieve them for him. She chose one that was white, embroidered with golden snowflakes and tied it onto her sash so that it hung at her waist. As was proper for the festival, she then took a piece of rice paper that had had a prayer written upon it and approached the bonfire. She carefully knelt down and placed the paper between her hands and closed her eyes, whispering a prayer of thanks and well being to the villagers, and to the woman and man who had been so kind to her. When she was finished she dropped the paper into the fire. She clasped her hands together and looked around to see where the other trainers had gotten to.<br/><br/>Her stomach growled and decided that the smell of the roasting yakitori simply could no longer be tolerated without being consumed, and she set her course for the nearest delicious morsel.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>