>>39256588Lucario in my AU is pretty tragic, he lost his mate Zoroark, other child Zorua, and all his friends when dark matter passed through his village 2 years before the events of the game. Riolu only took a glancing hit of dark matters energy but it was still sucking him dry in a way he'd be dead before turning to stone. Lucario was an Expedition society member in the past but was expelled by Ampharos, he has a vague memory overhearing of the waters that could wash away the darkness so headed straight for the water continent and sacred mountain. He stopped to get his baring and to get some water only for Riolu to pass away. It completely broke him which later lead him to become a willing servant of Dark Matter. If Nuzleaf represents fear and Yveltal hate, Lucario represents pain. Riolu on the otherhand is visited by Xerneas who offers him a proposal, offer his body for the player and use his spirit to guide him and it'll revive him. Lucario is laying on his side sobbing pathetically ready to die in his grief and Riolu despite being dead can see it so his immediate question is what about his dad. Xerneas cryptically says that if does what he asks then by the end his father would know peace but first would have to endure even worse pain to come (In the final body Dark Matter takes complete control of Lucario, Riolu refuses to fight as if they win Lucario will be killed when Dark Matter leaves his body. His solution was to wrap his scarf around his neck but that left him unprotected so he dies instead which snaps Lucario out of it and drives out dark matter but hurts him very badly as he'd been rejecting Riolu being his son before this point but can't deny what his heart knows in that moment). Riolu agrees, Lucario is eventually rescue but is near death so his rescuers leave Riolu's body, Xerneas's roots scoop him up the moment hes alone. The moment Lucario recovered he left the village and was then contacted by Dark Matter who had its own proposal
