#* inter.

                though their stealth was commendable, the presence of their aura was unmistakable. he had paid little heed to it while passersbys still passed by him, going about their business, but once they were gone and the coast was clear, his head tilts back, cobalt gaze calmly locking onto the trees behind him. 

                        ‘  come out. no there’s no point in hiding, i know you’re there.  ’

              that was a monster. the sheer caliber of the aura that assaulted his senses indicated naught else, bringing tension to his muscles in its wake. he would have immediately deemed its owner a possible threat, had he not noticed something else .. this aura was familiar. it was one he had not felt in a long time, but as he stiffly looked around the corner, there was no mistaking it.

                                         ‘  ash .. is that really you?  ’

                 the moment riley picks up the aura of a new, approaching presence, he immediately knows who it is, and fondness swells with its recognition. that honest, headstrong but somewhat maladroit vigor is unmistakable, and riley smiles into the hand propping up his chin, one that only grows bigger as none other than roark walks up to meet him at the table he’s sitting at. 

                                    ‘  hey there! long time no see, old friend.  ’

       ‘ ah, it’s you! it certainly has been quite a while since we last met, isn’t it?  ’ the polite smile he proffers effectively masks his concern upon noticing the undeniable change in his aura. that youthfulness he once sensed seemed to be shed not due to maturity, but because of the abiding bitterness rooted in his spirit, an influence so potent that it certainly could not have manifested by any ordinary hardship. natheless, he keeps up the pretense -- surely the time to ask what had happened would come, but this was not such a time.  ‘  how have you been faring?  ’

                      ‘  .. i suppose your disbelief isn’t misplaced. nor do i take offense to it. the concept of aura must sound ridiculous to those who accept their life for what it is and are unaware of the underlying influences of it.  ’ perhaps it’s a conception that’s even more implausible to someone such as volkner, as it is one that cannot be justified with any sort of math or science. even so, this does not make riley regret his decision to reveal himself as an aura guardian to him, nor does it discourage him from wanting to prove himself to him. if anything, it makes him more determined.

                    ‘  if you think of me as insane, then i will not fault you for it. however, i would like to ask for a chance to prove myself. volkner .. will you allow me to try to convince you about the existence of aura?  ’

               ‘  well fought! this makes 5 wins, and with my loss, 5 losses.  ’ he takes his defeat graciously, a humble smile on his face and enjoyment twinkling in his eyes as he returns his vanquished absol to its pokeball. he could never tire of battling with volkner, it seemed. the intensity that he sensed within him, concealed by his indifferent demeanor, was something that could only be brought out with a pokemon battle, and it came like a deluge, fast and powerful, mowing down everything in its path. riley had met it with equal fervor, so much that his body still quaked with adrenaline even with the battle already finished. the trips to sunyshore were definitely worth it, every single time.

               ‘  whew ..   ’ sighing, he takes off his hat and fans himself with it. the room felt a lot more warmer than when he first came, and with his throat noticably dry, he finds himself scanning the area for a water bottle.  ‘  do you have something that i can drink?  ’

            not that it was a particularly bad thing. in fact, this was a rather pleasant surprise. aside from the things he’s heard about him with his projects and whatnot, his reputation as a formidable trainer has not gone unnoticed, and suddenly, he feels his interest in him grow. as the gym leader takes his seat not too far away from him at the bar counter and gives the bartender his order, riley takes it upon himself to finally say hello, catching his attention with a polite greeting and a kind smile on his face. 

               ‘  hello there -- volkner, is it? i am riley, one of the trainers at the battle tower. it’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.  ’