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COMPLETE: [Teen] Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Unequivocant

Chapter 20: Desolation
  • Chapter 20: Desolation

    “You destroyed an entire town because there was a chance they’d become Arceists?” Gardner roared. “That is idiotic and insane!”

    Arthus and Gardner zoomed through the narrow passageways created by the dense jungle, all through the night and into the morning. The trees gradually grew less dense, and the cawing of birds grew quieter as they drove deeper.

    Arthus held on to the sled around Gardner’s girth, struggling to look around him. “Would you let it go? They weren’t even acting like the rest of the outposts anyway!”

    “That doesn’t change anything! I thought you were crazy enough slaying a servant for bringing the wrong drink, but this is a whole other level!” Gardner groaned, rubbing his eye. “Augh, never mind. Can’t change anything anyway.”

    The sled lurched and Arthus pulled it to a stop, and the Houndoom quieted, waiting for orders. Towering in front of them was a massive stone structure, engraved with thousands of drawings and coated entirely with vines. Balanced on top of it was a broken Arc of Arceus, split in half. No birds sung, and no movement could be heard; not even the wind whistled. The building exuded a somber aura, almost ordering a place of peace.

    Gardner broke away from the sled, looking around warily. “So…this is the temple.”

    Arthus nodded slowly, following him. “Indeed.” He stepped toward it and began cutting through the vines.

    As he did so, Gardner came closer and cleared his throat. “Why do you need me here? Aren’t you supposed to be dealing with Hoopa?”

    Arthus cut the last layer of vines, revealing the yawning entrance into the temple. He stepped inside, holding up the Prison Bottle by its rope. “You play an important role, Gardner. Just come inside.” The Dusknoir hesitantly followed.

    Inside, massive pillars rose up to meet the ceiling, all carved with depictions of the Legends. Sconces of all sizes lined the walls and pillars, dark. There were no other doorways or windows to speak of; the entrance they went through was the sole opening. A massive stone slab hung over the door, supported by two giant timbers. A massive mural stretched across the floor, depicting all the Legends, Arceus standing chief among them. Along the walls were various levels of benches with stone ladders leading up to them, creating an auditorium. At the far end, a single podium stood, shaped in such a way to hold scrolls or books for the lead priest to preach.

    Arthus stood at the podium and set the Prison Bottle on top of it. Gardner stood next to him, holding his arms behind his back. Arthus took a deep breath, then took hold of the bottle’s cap. The eyes on it lit up.

    Arthus leaned over to Gardner and said, “I promise not to kill you.”

    Gardner furrowed his brow. “What do you—”

    Arthus pulled off the cap and violet gas erupted from the neck, filling the entire room. Beyond, a Pokemon screamed, shooting through the entryway. It appeared in the center of the violet clouds and turned out to be the smaller Hoopa, the rings on his chest and arms suspending him in the air.

    As the gas enclosed him, he noticed Arthus and screamed, “What have you done?” The rest of his pleas were muffled by the gas as it grew to consume the entire room, coming the scrape the ceiling. The mist stopped flowing from the bottle and solidified, darkening. Its feet hovered slightly above the floor, crossed. Its six arms lay tucked in its body, a single giant hole within its chest. Purple hair exploded from its head, flowing from the shining silver armor of its chest and legs. It’s eyes glowed emerald, and its wicked grin revealed rows of pointed teeth.

    The Zoroark held the bottle high as the clouds finally formed into a solid shape. Its feet hovered slightly above the floor, crossed. Its six arms lay tucked in its body, a single giant hole within its chest. Purple hair exploded from its head, flowing from the shining silver armor of its chest and legs. Its head nearly touched the ceiling, standing over ten times higher than Gardner, who shrunk behind Arthus.

    The eyes opened, and rows of pointed teeth revealed themselves. “You have unleashed the mighty Hoopa, granter of wishes.” He bowed his head, two arms popping out and pounding together. “I will grant a single wish for the wielder of my prison.”

    Arthus kept his grip on the bottle, his hands shaking. “Before I ask my wish, I would like to ask you some questions. I trust that will not be an issue?”

    Hoopa frowned, his eyes narrowing. “I am obligated to answer any question while you are my master. What do you wish to know?”

    Arthus scarcely hid a sigh of relief. “Will you be released from the Prison Bottle upon granting my wish?”

    Hoopa leaned back, popping out four of his arms; two positioned themselves behind his head, and the other two rested on his chest. “For three days, I am free to do as I please. Once the third sun has set, I must return to the bottle, and my true power is concealed until someone awakens me once more.”

    “Can you destroy the bottle?”

    “No. Only if a master commands me to do so. But that would require a wish, and none are so selfless—or foolish—to do so.”

    Arthus rubbed his chin, closing his eyes. “I may be willing to release you.”

    Hoopa swung forward and rested his six arms on the ground, smiling wide. “Really? You would release me?”

    Arthus took an involuntary step back, and Gardner hovered in his shadow. “W-Why yes. But in exchange, I will need you to fix this.” He held up the Seal of Creation with his free hand, revealing the cracked sapphire in its center.

    Hoopa’s eyes flashed, and his mouth hung open. “The Seal of Creation. Arceus’ means of eliminating my kind.” He leaned back again, tapping his fingers together. “You have done well in choosing this place; Arceus’ followers built this temple long ago as a means of contacting him and begging him for blessings. I can tap into his power to complete this feat.” He leaned forward once more and pointed all his index fingers at Arthus. “I am no fool. You plan on taking me into the Seal, just so you can use my power!”

    Arthus dropped the Seal and held up the bottle. “I don’t! I promise I won’t!” Hoopa lowered his arms, leering at the Seal.

    Arthus wheezed, then brushed back his mane. “How about we make a deal?” Behind his back, his fingers twisted around, forming a gem between them. He tossed it to Gardner and quickly wrote a message in pale red light: “Place your Life inside.”

    Gardner cocked his head and went to say something, but a warning look from Arthus made him hold his voice.

    Hoopa continued to stare, folding his arms. “I’m listening.”

    Arthus turned back around with a forced smile. Here’s my proposal: You repair the Seal and promise not to harm me, then I will release you and promise not to harm you.”

    Hoopa held up his fingers. “The process of repairing the Seal will significantly tax me. I will require more on your part for such a bargain to be worth my while.”

    Arthus waved a dismissive hand. “Understandably. After making my wish and before you repair the Seal, you can drain my servant of Life.” He waved to Gardner and slyly took the gem from his frozen hands, now glowing red.

    Gardner eyes whisked back and forth between Arthus and Hoopa. “What? I never—”

    Hoopa laughed, its echo reverberating through the room. “How entertaining! Very well, I accept.” He growled and pound his fists on the ground. “But what happens if you do take me with the Seal?”

    Arthus held up a claw, his smile gone. “I expected this. If I harm you, then—then Arceus can kill me where I stand.” The floor rumbled, and Arthus paled. He hurriedly added, “B-But if you harm me or break the order of our deal, then you return to the bottle instantly!”

    Hoopa hummed to himself, resting his head on his hand. He nodded curtly and held out a hand. “A reasonable bargain.”

    Gardner hovered forward and sputtered, “What—What do you mean I’m going to be—”

    Arthus’ hand met with Hoopa’s, and they both shook. A wave of violet energy radiated from them, and Hoopa snatched the Seal of Creation from Arthus’ neck. He pointed at him and said, “Make the wish.”

    In a clear voice, Arthus said, “I, Arthus Zoroark, wish for the Seal of Creation to be made whole.” He rubbed the glowing gem behind his back.

    Two of Hoopa’s arm snatched Gardner and held him in the air. Despite his screams, Hoopa held him over his mouth and opened wide. Crimson mist flowed from Gardner’s body into Hoopa’s mouth, until he closed his eye and fell limp and silent.

    Hoopa smacked his lips and gently set Gardner’s body on the ground. “Delicious.” All six of his arms surrounded the Seal, with two delicately holding it up in the air. “Now for my end of the bargain.” Hoopa grunted, and with two hands he sent a beam of light into the gem. The single shot fused into the Seal, a tiny pinprick of many. He then continued with another, methodically restoring the single weakness to the almighty Arceus. With a third hand, he wove a mystical thread through the cracks, and with the fourth shone a violet light across it.

    Hoopa grit his teeth, hovering around the Seal occasionally and leaning close to ensure his hands made no mistake. Arthus watched him work, entranced by the many lights used to fix it. Little by little, the jagged crack through the sapphire sealed, until only a faint outline remained.

    Hoopa held his four arms away and bellowed, “It is done!” He clamped his hands around the Seal and exploded with bright light. It faded, and Hoopa delicately held it out to Arthus, as perfect as the day it was made.

    Arthus graciously took it with his free hand, a smile widening across his face. “Finally…”

    Hoopa reared back his hands, grinning as well. “Allow me to destroy the bottle and secure my freedom.” He snatched the bottle from the podium and bludgeoned it with his other five fists, cackling wildly. The ornate container remained undamaged, its green eyes glowing fiercely.

    Hoopa faltered, holding it away. “What is this? Why does it not break under my might?”

    Arthus slowly revealed the gem from before, still glowing with crimson light. “The deal was that you’d kill Gardner before you repaired the Seal. In case you haven’t noticed,” he threw the gem at Gardner and caused it to shatter on his chest. The red light enveloped him, then Gardner shot upright and gasped, holding his head.

    Arthus waved to the Dusknoir. “He’s still alive.”

    Hoopa growled, clenching his fists. He suddenly roared and bellowed, “You deceived me! I will make you suffer a thousand deaths!” His arms shot toward Arthus, only to dissipate into mist. The cap of the bottle opened, and Hoopa little by little flowed into it.

    Arthus shrugged and lowered the Seal around his neck. “You broke the rules, you go back in the bottle. Simple.” Hoopa roared again as a small figure hovered up from the mist.

    Hoopa’s last free hand wrapped around the figure and called, “I will not allow you to go free!” The figure screamed as he too faded into mist and funneled into the bottle, until at last all of it was caught within, and the cap closed.

    Arthus let out all his pent-up breath and fell against the podium, forcing a laugh. “I…I did it…the Seal is fixed…and Hoopa is still trapped.”

    Gardner advanced toward Arthus, his eye burning with hatred. “You used me! You would’ve had me killed to fix that accursed Seal!”

    Arthus forced his arms down and said, “I told you before, I wasn’t going to kill you! I had it all under control.”

    Gardner humphed and said, “You were shaking like a leaf.” He eyed the Seal and said, “So, what now? Are you headed for Deitae now?”

    Arthus shook his head. “No, not yet. I have some unfinished business to take care of.” He patted Gardner on the back and said, “But feel free to go now. You’ve done your part.”

    Gardner spun around and grabbed Arthus’ shoulders. “That’s it? You wanted me to be some tool to fool Hoopa?”

    Arthus ducked under Gardner’s grip and yanked his antenna to force him down. He held a claw dangerously close to Gardner’s maw. “Don’t take it personally. I mean it.” He let go of Gardner and said, “Just go. Take a vacation if you need. I’m sure Martre will manage.”

    Gardner rubbed his antenna and remained silent as he floated out of the temple, leaving Arthus to disappear in a shimmer. The Dusknoir mounted the sled and whipped the chain, then swerved south, careening through the trees.

    He furrowed his brow and said under his breath, “I swear, Zoroark, you’re going to regret using me like that.”

    ~~~~

    Lawrence, Cassia, Grom and Matheus continued their trek to Virona in solemn silence. Cassia stood close to Grom, hiding behind him, while Lawrence stood ahead, following Matheus as he blazed a trail. No Trumbeak sung and no Emolga chittered; the very movement within the Faylen jungle seemed to have stopped.

    Matheus pushed through a thick cluster of vines ahead of him. “Virona should be just past here,” he explained. He pushed past it and froze. Grom, Cassia, and Lawrence joined him in astonishment.

    Smoldering husks of wood lay tumbled across the forest floor. Smoke rose high in the air across hundreds of feet of ash and charcoal. No Pokémon were visible amongst the remains, all burned away by the massive flames of the previous night.

    “What…what happened?” Cassia whispered, putting a hand over her mouth.

    Matheus treaded carefully through the remains, searching. “Virona must have caught fire as recently as last night. We couldn’t see anything because of the thickness of the jungle.” He held up a singed fabric doll, the eyes of the Oddish staring blankly back. “Knowing the height it used to hang from…no one survived.” He dropped the doll, then took off his hat and lowered his head. Everyone else followed suit.

    After around a minute of standing, Matheus put his hat back on and said, “Well…there’s nothing else to do here.” He looked back to Lawrence. “Just…just one last thing. The temple.” Lawrence slowly nodded back, while Cassia hugged Grom.

    Matheus lead the procession past the graveyard and to an unkempt trail, brushing past low ferns and patches of grass. A thin haze of smoke hung overhead, causing their eyes to water.

    The massive stone temple loomed closer, and all Lawrence could think of is how he wished to stay. ‘I…I want to be part of Equivos…to be with Cassia. I missed so much while hating Arceus…I want everyone else to realize their mistake. Some aspect I still have issues with, yes, but still…I was wrong.’

    He grimaced and thought back to Castelia and its environment. ‘How can I go back after this? Equivos is so much better than Castelia. I don’t have to worry about Hanson or his technology changing the world.’ He shivered. ‘Especially with what he planned to do with one of the Equivosians. I can’t leave.’

    He sighed and rubbed the side of his head. ‘But if I stay, I’m dooming everyone, even myself. Tursha’s seen the future, and what he says makes sense; I caused dimensional disturbances, and the only way to fix them is to leave. This world wouldn’t stay perfect for long.” He bit his lip and bowed his head. “I can’t let that happen.’

    Finally, they stood at the entrance of the giant stone temple. They entered the darkness within and saw a single tattered Xatu standing at the podium, his back facing them.

    Matheus paused in front of the door, then turned around. He motioned for Lawrence to continue, then followed him inside. Upon entering, they saw that the temple had no other doorways or windows to speak of; the entrance they went through was the sole opening.

    When Grom entered the temple, Tursha turned around mechanically. The bandage still wrapped around his head, completely covering his eyes. “You brought companions. Friends.” He nodded his head. “That was expected.” He waved his wing. “Come closer, Lawrence Stephenson.”

    Lawrence did so, his steps becoming shorter and shorter. He stopped, his paws quivering. He turned back to Matheus, Grom and Cassia, then turned back to Tursha. “Do I…do I really have to leave? Isn’t there some other way?”

    The Xatu remained still. “To save this world, there is none. It will not be tomorrow, not even the day after, or even next year or the year after, that we shall succumb to the unraveling of this world. But this is your one opportunity to leave, and unless you do, certain death lies ahead.” He motioned for him again. “Come within wing’s reach, and it shall be done.”

    Lawrence swallowed fearfully and took another step. Cassia exhaled sharply and ran to Lawrence, embracing him. “You can’t leave! You just can’t!”

    The Lucario forced himself to push her away, bowing his head. “I’m sorry…but I don’t want you to die…because of me…” He rubbed her tears away from her face, forcing himself to smile. “Just remember…I’ll always be with you. Even if I’m in a different world.” They embraced each other once more, while Grom and Matheus bowed their heads sadly.

    “How touching.”

    The stone slab fell in front of the entrance with a crash, plunging the room into darkness. All raised their heads, bewildered by this turn of events.

    The sconces erupted in crimson light, brightly illuminating the temple. Tursha cocked his head, putting his wings together. “I gather you together…I remain in the shadows…I nudge here and there…all of this hard work…”

    Tursha straightened, his blindfold starting to slide down his head. “Now, what do I witness? A Lucario in love with a Zoroark? How…loathsome.”

    Matheus stared at Tursha, squinting his eyes. “You sound familiar.”

    Cassia nodded, eyes wide. “He does.

    Tursha reached up for his blindfold. “Oh, so you know me?” He ripped away the blindfold. “I know you very well.” Two bright blue eyes glared harshly at them, quivering.

    Everyone took a step back. “Arthus,” Matheus hissed.

    The Xatu disappeared, revealing a graying Zoroark wearing a perfect, golden pendant. He grinned and held his head high, his mane trailing the floor. “And I have exactly what I need.”

    Lawrence’s head turned back and forth, then he finally exclaimed, “How? Why? You tricked me?”

    Arthus cackled, leaning back. “Oh, it was all too easy. I mean, seriously, ‘the energies that surround your arrival are destroying the world’? Arceus would never let that slide!” He narrowed his eyes. “Isn’t that right, Matheus?

    Matheus growled, his paws beginning to glow. “So all this time, you just lied to Lawrence about him being able to return home? For no good reason?” He jabbed a paw at the Seal. “And how did you fix that? It was broken beyond repair!”

    Arthus wagged a claw. “Not true. I had a little…divine help.” He held up the Prison Bottle, the eyes glowing green.

    “He’s…he’s loose?” Matheus shouted, paling.

    Arthus laughed and let go of the bottle, allowing it to smack against his thigh. “No, no, no, even I’m not crazy enough to let Hoopa Unbound free. No, I managed to trick him and got him inside.” He shook his head and stepped off the podium. “But I digress. Let’s get down to why I tricked all of you into coming here.” He pointed at Matheus, grinning. “He’s priority number one. After I learned you were alive, I wanted nothing more than to send you into the Seal—even more than Arceus.” He gestured around the temple. “And this is the perfect place. No way to run or hide—just you and me.”

    Matheus growled and held up his paws. “I’m not going down without a fight. You still have to touch me with it to take me.”

    Arthus smirked. “Just wait.” He looked over at Lawrence. “And you. I was rather surprised to find out you were really from a different world, but, like the other Lucario, you must die.” He clenched his fist, his eyes glowing red. “Plus, there’s this little romance with my daughter.”

    Red mist rose around Cassia as she crouched, holding out her claws. “I’m not your daughter!” She and the others failed to notice her bag rustling.

    Arthus scowled and crossed his arms. “I raised you. I cared for you. I taught you everything you know.”

    Cassia faltered, standing straighter. “Y-Yes, but—”

    Arthus pulled at his mane and screamed, “I gave you everything! And what did you do? Abandon me, the only one who ever loved you!”

    Cassia shrunk away and covered her face while Lawrence stepped forward and said, “Leave her alone! You’re the one who’s made everyone hate her! You’re a mass murderer! Why shouldn’t she run away?”

    Arthus suddenly calmed, tapping his claws together. “Why, Grom happens to agree with me.”

    Lawrence blinked and narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean—”

    “GRAAWW!”

    Grom threw his arms out and stepped backward, grasping the air in front of him. Arthus melted into the air and reappeared on Grom’s chest, climbing it quickly and holding a black, spherical stone in his claws.

    Cassia gasped and turned to Lawrence. “The Illusion Stone! Where is it?”

    Lawrence groped around his neck, only to find an empty string, cleanly cut. His head snapped to Arthus as he recognized the sphere as the illusionary artifact, clambering up to Grom’s head. He held it high and slammed it into the crack in Grom’s head, fitting perfectly. Grom froze, then lowered his limbs, falling still. His light went out.

    “Grom!” Cassia ran in front the Golurk, shaking his arms and trying to make him move. Arthus slid off his back and disappeared once more.

    Lawrence and Matheus came next to Cassia, each with the fur on the back of their heads rising. “Do you sense him anywhere?” Lawrence asked.

    Matheus closed his eyes and slowly turned his head behind him. “Yes…right there!” He swung his paw behind him and clashed with Arthus’ arm, narrowly blocking the Seal from hitting his chest.

    Arthus pressed closer, causing Matheus to stoop. “Don’t delay the inevitable; we both know how this will end, brother.”

    “Get away from him!” Lawrence shouted, running forward with fists covered in aura.

    Arthus pushed Matheus aside and dropped the Seal, meeting Lawrence’s Aura with his Life. They traded blows, and Arthus cackled, growing faster and faster. “You’ve gotten stronger, but you’re still nothing compared to—urk!”

    Matheus punched Arthus’ side from behind him and forced him to the ground. The Legend took a quick breath. “Lawrence—we can’t stay here. We have to go!”

    Arthus groaned and brought himself upright. “Talking about your plans out in the open again…always worked out for you.”

    Lawrence slugged him across the chin and caused him to stagger backward, revealing the Seal of Creation. “We have to take it back!”

    Arthus cackled and rubbed his chin, his eyes glowing red. “Now that’s more like it!” He met with both Matheus and Lawrence, swapping between them and trading blows, straining to touch the Legend with the Seal.

    Cassia stared back at the Lucario, grimacing. “I…I can’t leave Grom.” She turned back to him. “Please…please be alright.”

    Grom’s eyes flickered, then flashed. He whirred and rolled his shoulder, focusing on Cassia. She stepped back and said, “Are you…alright?”

    Grom stared for a moment longer, then suddenly grabbed Cassia around her shoulders, pinning her arms to her sides. “Directive continued; restrict target until command received.”

    Cassia screamed, pushing against her companion’s grip. “No! Grom, please, come back!”

    Lawrence beat back Arthus’ claws and saw Cassia’s plight. “He’s…he’s like he was before!”

    “Why of course!” Arthus kicked Matheus away and grabbed Lawrence’s neck, dragging him closer. “That missing piece was all I needed to bring back my servant—and you brought it right to me.”

    “Raaagh!” Lawrence kneed Arthus in the gut then clouted him with his paw, stunning him. He then ran to Grom and shouted, “Let her go!”

    Grom’s eyes flashed as he repositioned Cassia to be held in one arm, then took a step closer. “Threat detected. Disposing of target now.” He threw a rocket-powered kick at Lawrence and sent him flying into a pillar, cracking the stone.

    Matheus stood over Arthus and reached for the necklace around his neck. “You have no idea what will happen if you use this!”

    Arthus groaned and slapped Matheus’ paw away, hastily coming upright. “Wrong! I’ll make this world like Arceus should have years ago!” He held up the Seal and leapt for Matheus. Matheus rolled backward and ran for the blocked entrance. Arthus followed.

    Lawrence slid down the cracked pillar and moaned, rubbing his back. Grom threw a punch at him despite Cassia’s cries. He ducked underneath the Golurk and grabbed onto the arm holding Cassia, struggling to pull her free.

    As Matheus and Arthus knocked the Seal back and forth, Cassia pushed against Grom’s might with Lawrence, doing nothing against the Golurk. “I have to change him back!”

    “He’ll just lose his memory again! There has to be another way!” Lawrence replied, releasing his grip just as Grom punched in his direction.

    Grom swung for him again and spun on his feet, stumbling. He let go of Cassia to steady himself, sending her rolling on the ground. She shook free of her dizziness and watched Grom continue to assault Lawrence and Arthus chase Matheus, each threatening to kill the other.

    She looked at Arthus and his firing Life Spheres, then at Grom and the filled socket in his head. She blinked and remembered: ‘Arthus used his Life to change Grom.’ She sprinted toward Grom and jumped onto his back. ‘I can too!’

    Lawrence saw Cassia on the Golurk’s back and said, “What are you doing up—”

    Grom punched him across the jaw and sent him into the wall next to the entrance. He weakly attempted to get up but lowered his head and fell still.

    Arthus and Matheus pushed against each other, paw against claw. Arthus brought his face close to Matheus’. “Do you still feel guilty? Ashamed?”

    Matheus eyed the Seal of Creation, dangling from Arthus’ wrist and nearly touching his own. “…Yes.” He abruptly let go and clouted Arthus over the head. Arthus’ arm lifted as he fell to the ground, and Matheus grabbed the Seal by the chain on his wrist. He stared at it briefly, then turned to the slab covering the entrance.

    He considered both as Arthus came to his feet and reached for the Seal. Matheus threw it to the other side of the room and ran for the slab. Arthus ran for the Seal and screamed, “You were always an idiot!”

    Matheus grabbed the rope hanging by the pulley above the slab and began to pull, grunting. “Cassia, have you brought back Grom?”

    Cassia held on to Grom’s neck with all her might as the Golurk floundered to grab her, stamping around in a circle robotically. “Almost…there,” she said, setting a hand on his head. She closed her eyes and the top of Grom’s head flashed crimson. He stood completely still as the light faded.

    Arthus scrabbled for the Seal in the corner of the room, the light covered by being facedown. He looked back briefly and shouted, “I’ll deal with you after Matheus is mine!”

    Cassia slid down Grom’s back, holding her hands together. “Can…can you hear me? Grom?”

    The Golurk flinched, then slowly turned his head toward her. “…C…Cassia?”

    The Zoroark sighed in relief and stepped forward to hug him. “You can—”

    The Golurk stepped forward and swung his arms back dangerously while his head swiveled back and forth. Cassia rolled out of the way and panted, shocked.

    Grom locked up again and shuddered. “I…I can’t control myself. I have to follow Arthus’ directive…to capture you.”

    Cassia held up her claws and reached out for him. “I’ll just—”

    “No!” Grom stomped again, forcing his fists to the ground. “Arthus has done too much; you were lucky to free my emotions.” He sighed. “And I can’t break free. I’m…I’m sorry Cassia.”

    Cassia’s throat bobbed, then she speedily climbed onto his back. “I’ll just knock out that piece again!”

    Grom’s eyes flashed weakly. “No…you won’t get it a second time. You’ll destroy my mind, and I’ll be no good for anything.”

    Behind them, Matheus wheezed, taking choking breaths. “This…this door is heavy.” He looked over at Cassia and Grom. “I wish I could help.”

    “Oh, Matheus…”

    The Lucario slowly turned his head, where Arthus stood to his left, dangling the Seal in front of him. He groaned, dropping the rope. “Why don’t you just hit me with it already?”

    Arthus laughed and reared the Seal back. “I want to remember this moment!” He swung the Seal forward—only to be blown back by a lone Aura Sphere.

    Matheus turned to its direction and saw Lawrence with his paw thrust out, his fur matted and blood dribbling down his lip. “Don’t. Touch. Matheus.”

    Arthus got up from the ground and chuckled, rubbing his side. “Oh, now you fight.” He set the Seal around his neck and ran toward him, claws extended. “I might as well take care of you first!”

    Matheus yanked back on his mane and shouted, “Not if I have anything to say about it!” He continued to wrestle with the Zoroark as Lawrence leapt into the fray, weakly punching the Zoroark.

    Cassia turned between Grom and the brawlers, cringing. “Grom…there has to be something you can do. Anything. They need help.”

    Grom looked down at his chest, then his eyes flashed. “There is one thing.” He shakily reached up for the brace on his chest.

    Cassia’s eyes widened as she tried to push down his hand. “No. Not that. Anything but that!” As she spoke, Arthus swept under Matheus feet and sent him to the ground while he traded blows with Lawrence, continually advancing on him.

    Despite her pleas, Grom dug his fingers underneath his brace, revealing the bright light beneath it. “You can’t bring me back.” He looked down and tugged at the brace. “And I can’t serve Arthus!”

    Cassia pulled at Grom’s arm harder, crying out, “Don’t! You’ll die!”

    Matheus got off his back and ran to intercept Arthus and Lawrence, but a dozen Arthuses suddenly appeared around him. They all grinned and held out their hand. “It was all thanks to you this happened, right?” Matheus froze, shrinking to the ground as the fake Arthuses advanced.

    Arthus slashed the air in front of Lawrence, driving him into the corner of the temple. “Matheus is a fraud, Grom is a minion, and Cassia is mine! Where are you in this story?”

    Lawrence wheezed, his vision becoming blurry as the pain in his body grew. “I…I don’t care.”

    Arthus spun around him and drove his claws into Lawrence’s side, making him gasp. He fell to the ground and clutched at the wound, doing nothing to stop Arthus from standing over him. The Zoroark smiled as he held his claw up to strike.

    Cassia and Grom watched as Lawrence was about to be killed by the Usurper. Grom tugged at the brace once more, pulling loose a bolt. He jerked, and in a struggling voice said, “It—it was a pleasure to serve you—Cassia. You gave me my greatest memories—and taught me—to be a friend.”

    Cassia pulled herself away from Lawrence and croaked, “You don’t have to do this.”

    Grom’s eyes dimmed as he pulled the brace a final time. “Lawrence will protect you now.” The brace came free, and Grom threw out his arms and bellowed, “Remember me!” As the brace and bolts clattered against the floor, his arms spun around rapidly, advancing toward Arthus. “Roa-raw-raor-raaaaaaahh!”

    Arthus’ illusions faded, and Matheus gasped and rolled out of the way, while Arthus stopped midswing and paled. The onyx Golurk roared and charged toward him at full speed, his arms spinning faster than the eye could see.

    Arthus sprinted away from him, nearly running on all-fours. “What have you done?” He circled around a pillar and Grom bashed into it, instantly destroying it. Arthus circled another with the same results.

    Cassia broke free of her shock and gathered Grom’s brace and bolts. She cautiously approached him, holding out his safety components.

    Matheus stood up and stared at Grom chasing Arthus, destroying yet another pillar. He looked up and grit his teeth; the ceiling shook, and the remaining six pillars were struggling to keep it up.

    Matheus started toward the slab. “This place will collapse at any moment!”

    Lawrence groaned, reaching out for him. “Matheus…”

    The Legend swerved around and sat next to him, putting a paw over his mouth upon seeing his wound. “You need help. Now.”

    Lawrence grabbed onto Matheus’ cloak and pulled himself higher. “Where’s…Cassia?”

    “Grom!”

    They both snapped their heads toward the shriek, where Cassia stood in front of a pillar with her arms out, holding the Golurk’s brace. Arthus ran toward her, having no other option thanks to the Golurk’s pursuit.

    Arthus tossed his hand to the side and yelled, “Get out of the way! He’s gone berserk!” He tripped and skidded against the floor, only to get stomped on his leg by Grom. He screamed in agony and struggled to push himself up despite the flattened limb.

    Cassia remained still as Grom advanced, not caring who his target was. Realization came too late to her as Grom’s spinning fists slammed into her and threw her into the wall next to the crushed Arthus. She lay still, her bag caught in Grom’s hand and his bolts still in hers.

    Lawrence abruptly stood up and cried, “Cassia!” He limped toward her, clutching his wound.

    The bag caught in Grom’s hand slung toward Lawrence’s head. Matheus caught it in the air inches from contact, then grabbed Lawrence’s arm and shuffled toward the exit. “I’ll come back for her once you’re out!”

    The walls of the temple began to crumble, revealing a small hole next to the stone slab. Matheus and Lawrence toward it as a fifth pillar fell to Grom’s rampage.

    Arthus crawled to Cassia and flipped her onto her back, eyes wide with fright. “Talk to me! Say something!” Her eyes fluttered as she struggled to lift her head, but she fell back, unconscious.

    The Usurper cursed and forced himself to his feet, screaming as he put weight onto his broken leg. He took Cassia’s arms and dragged her toward Matheus, far slower than the other. He reached for him and cried, “Help her! Don’t leave her to die!” He gasped as Grom advanced toward him once more, destroying a sixth pillar. The temple’s ceiling crumbled, showering stones around them.

    Matheus reached the crumbling hole and pushed Lawrence out, then threw Cassia’s bag. He darted back inside as he said, “I’m going back for Cassia!”

    Arthus fell to the ground and held up his hands pleadingly toward the incoherent Grom. “Stop! Stop! Stop!” He lowered his head and cringed as Grom threatened to beat him down.

    Matheus ran toward him and threw and Aura Sphere at Grom. It swerved around and knocked into his side, making him stumble to the left and bash into not one, but two pillars as he fell next to the last in the center. He spasmed as his internal light grew whiter and whiter.

    Matheus fell next to Arthus and Cassia, leering at Arthus’ Seal. “How can I trust you with that?”

    Arthus pushed Cassia to him and hung his head low. “Just take her. Her life is more important than mine.”

    Matheus stared for a moment, then stood up and hefted Cassia, setting her over his shoulders. He ran as hard as he could to the exit, while Arthus limped after him, wincing and moaning with every step.

    Grom stood upright and held his arms out, his chest becoming blindingly bright. “GRAAAAAAAAAWWW!” He exploded, blowing back everyone still left in the temple and destroying the final pillar. As black fragments of his body fell, the roof sagged, and stones continued to fall.

    Cassia and Arthus landed near the far wall away from the exit, their fur singed. Matheus rolled across the ground and stopped near the sole exit from the temple. He stood up and looked around him, his face falling with every moment. He took a final look at Arthus and Cassia, then turned away and closed his eyes. He ran out of the temple just as the exit covered over.

    Arthus looked around him, defeated. “Arceus…you’ve won.” He turned to Cassia and closed his eyes as stones the size of boulders fell around him. “But it was an empty victory…”

    Lawrence stood just beyond the temple, holding Cassia’s bag. Matheus ran toward him and dragged him away from the imploding temple. As they retreated, Lawrence cried, “Where’s Cassia? Where is she?”

    The top of the temple fell, and a deafening crack rung out. Matheus and Lawrence were blown away by the sheer force of impact, rolling into the dense trees nearby. The Arceist temple roared and groaned as its entirety rumbled on top of those who remained, their booming cacophony ringing out for miles.

    The dust billowed high into the sky, and the Temple now stood twenty feet high, little more than several tons of rubble and scrap.

    Minutes after, Lawrence shook his head free of the leaves, then froze. “No…” He forced himself to stand, then hobbled to the remains of the Temple, finding no sign of life.

    “No, no, no!” He pulled free rocks as large as he could lift, but to no avail. Arthus lay buried, ending his conquest to usurp Arceus.

    But at the cost of Grom and Cassia, two of his only friends.

    He fell to his knees, then fell across a boulder, crying out uncontrollably. Matheus merely lowered his head, dropping the last belongings of Cassia Zoroark.
     
    Last edited:
    Chapter 21: Loss
  • Act 4: The Legend
    Chapter 21: Loss


    All hope is now gone,

    All love now buried.

    The darkness has fallen,

    Just as light has done.

    Silver and Cyan,

    The Master and One,

    Are now all alone,

    On their journey travail.

    ~~~~

    Silence. Only silence. No leaves rustled. No birds sung. A dark and clouded sky ruined the otherwise warm and soothing evening, forcing it into a dark and forbidding tone.

    Matheus placed a stray plank of wood atop a careful formation of loose rocks from the temple, situating it in front of the former entrance to the temple. Lawrence stood stiffly, cautiously shifting the bandages wrapped around his chest.

    The Legend clapped his paws together, the fur on the back of his head rising. He parted his paws and a narrow stream of blue flame jetted from one. He carefully passed it along the wood, leaving behind a black streak with every pass.

    After branding several lines, Matheus blew away the smoke, allowing Lawrence to see his work:

    Here Rests

    Cassia Zoroark—Priestess of Arceus—Beloved by All

    Grom Golurk—Guardian of the Priestess

    Arthus Zoroark—The Usurper—Friend and Father

    Matheus made a shuddering sigh, then said, “Too many…just too many…” He held a paw over Cassia’s name. “Of all the Pokémon I’ve known, you were the most faithful…even to the end.” He passed his paw over Grom’s name. “I wish I had known you longer. You were a true companion, one that could never be replaced.”

    He paused, then lowered to Arthus’ name. “Arthus…” He sighed and shook his head. “You…you were still there…in the end. We could have still been friends—brothers, even. But then…” His paw curled into a fist, then relaxed.

    He stepped back and turned to Lawrence. The silver Lucario paused, then sighed. “I’m…I’m sorry, Lawrence. There…there wasn’t enough time, and well, it was too dangerous. You could’ve—” He cut himself short then shook his head. “I’ll just…I’ll just go look for some berries.” He trudged past ferns and roots and went into the trees, leaving Lawrence alone.

    Lawrence remained still. His face remained blank.

    He winced. He saw the temple. He saw Arthus, holding the Seal for them to see. He saw the scattered fragments of Grom on the floor. He saw…Cassia.

    Lawrence closed his eyes and made a shuddering sigh. He held out a paw, gazing at the weak glow that surrounded it. He hugged himself and hunched over, closing his eyes.

    He saw himself walking with a Gardevoir through a forest path, first joining this world.

    He saw himself with a Gardevoir, in a vale guarded by a Trevenant.

    He saw himself with a Gardevoir, pouring his fears out to her.

    He saw himself with a Zoroark, reading the Tome across mountains.

    He saw himself with a Zoroark, traveling together for the benefit of the world, and each other.

    All the while, a black Golurk watched from afar.

    All of it for nothing. For death.

    He thought of all the time he had spent with her, in the meantime of their travels. Three weeks felt too short a time. He had only just known her, known her troubles, and realized his own…and how she could resolve them.

    It would never be.

    He felt something rise in him. Anger. Despair. Gathered together. It continued to rise, and he thought of what Cassia had devoted her entire life to:

    Arceus.

    Lawrence’s paws shook. He saw the sufferings of Pokémon at the hand of the Guild—at the hand of Arthus. He saw the grief of Cassia throughout her life, all through the viciousness of others. He saw himself, insulted for his lack of belief, isolated through his whole life. He had finally found someone to empathize with—and she was taken.

    Lawrence grit his teeth, then shook a fist into the sky. “You’ve done nothing for me! NOTHING!His fist surged with aura, then he threw it into a nearby boulder. The aura burned into the very center, splitting the rock in two.

    He panted, slowly removing his paw. He stared at it, watching the aura recede. He fell to his knees and continued to cry. All the while, Matheus watched from the fringe of the palms, bowing his head.

    ~~~~

    Later, Lawrence sat at the base of the tree, holding his Pokédex and studying the screen: “No access point in range.” Yet again, that message taunted him. Never had it felt so insulting.

    Matheus came out from the trees, holding a cask dripping with water. He took a long draught, then wiped his lips and coughed. “Arthus really did a number on my throat. Don’t remember him being the throttling type.” He took another drink, then held the cask out to Lawrence. He didn’t move.

    Matheus pushed it closer. “You’ve been sitting there ever since we left the temple; you need to sustain yourself, especially after what Arthus did to you.”

    Lawrence glanced at the cask, then looked away. He sighed, put away his Pokédex, then accepted the cask and poured water into his mouth. He finished, gave it back to Matheus, and turned away.

    Matheus set the cask into the bag. “Look, Lawrence…we can’t stay here. We still need to get to Furnek and Saunte. There’s not much—”

    “What’s the point?”

    Matheus bristled. “Excuse me?”

    “What’s the point of going there?” Lawrence replied. He lay back on the root, ignoring the burning pain on his chest. “Arceus won’t protect them. He didn’t protect Barash, Jareth, Cryus…he’s done nothing. Believing in him won’t make it any better.” He sat straight again, glaring at Matheus. “You could’ve done something. You’ve been alive for two thousand years! You could’ve fought Arthus again and stopped him from taking over! You could’ve kicked the Guild out of Equivos! You could’ve saved Grom and Cassia! Yet you didn’t!” He inhaled sharply, holding his chest and cringing.

    Matheus remained still, giving no response. He lowered his head, gazing at the ground.

    Lawrence stood up and growled, “Let’s go. Anywhere’s better than here.” He scooped up Cassia’s bag and pushed past Matheus. The Legend pulled the supply bag over his shoulder and followed Lawrence to the south.

    Hours passed, and the cawing of Trumbeak and chittering of Emolga returned as lively as before. Lawrence failed to notice, completely absorbed by his march through the Faylen jungle. He took no rest stops, ate no food, and drank no water. He kept pushing between the trees, dwelling on the loss of Cassia and Grom, and how they could have been saved.

    Night fell, and Matheus looked up, frowning. “Getting late. We should stop for the day.” Lawrence refused to reply.

    Matheus caught up with Lawrence and grabbed his arm. “You’ve done nothing but walk for hours! You haven’t even changed your bandages.” He looked down at Lawrence’s chest and groaned. “They’re filthy. We have to change them.”

    Lawrence glared at the Legend, then begrudgingly sat on a root, setting down Cassia’s bag. Matheus sighed, then pulled off his own bag and dug through it for the roll of bandages. He pulled it out and pulled away a layer of Lawrence’s bandages, recoiling after. “It’s going to get worse before it gets better. I’ll need to clean it before anything else.” He took out a cloth and a cask of water, then soaked the cloth.

    He pulled away the rest of the bandages. He took a glance up to Lawrence, who looked away. Matheus started to clean the wound, then said, “Years ago, after Arthus betrayed me, we had a long, drawn-out battle. I managed to win, and I took the Seal from him. Then I ran, ignoring the dozens of scratches he gave me.” He held up his arm, the silvery scars visible in the approaching moonlight. “That’s where I got most of these.”

    He lowered his arm and finished cleaning Lawrence’s wound. He wrapped the roll around Lawrence’s chest, his paws shaking. “I kept going for days, hating myself for Arthus’ change. I didn’t eat, I didn’t sleep—exactly what you’d do if I let you. And do you know what happened?” Lawrence glanced at Matheus.

    He ripped the length of bandage from the roll and exclaimed, “I keeled over! I nearly died because I refused to take care of myself!” He tied the ends of the bandage together, shaking his head. “If those Phantump didn’t find me when they did…”

    He stood up, frowning. “I don’t want you wasting your life…the life I managed to save. Cassia wouldn’t either.” He turned around, then paced out of sight. “I’ll go find food.”

    Lawrence remained still. He considered the Legend’s words, thinking of Cassia and Grom. ‘I only just accepted Arceus again…but ever since…the temple.” He lowered his head sadly. ‘I’ve just been the same as before.’ Suddenly, he heard Matheus’ words in Cassia’s voice: “I don’t want you wasting your life…the life I managed to save.” He sat straighter. ‘She worked with me till the end to make me this way…yet here I am, back at square one.’

    The sadness and anger from the temple rose up once more. ‘I won’t forget what she did for me…I’ll keep myself strong, so her memory can be.’ He curled his fist. ‘But it’s thanks to Matheus that she isn’t here.’

    Lawrence kept his fist tight for a moment, then froze. ‘Or was it me?’ He flinched. ‘I listened Tursha’s—Arthus’ words. I brought everyone to the temple.’ He leaned down and pressed his paws against his head. ‘Matheus might not have saved Cassia, but it was my fault that we even ended up there. Arthus might’ve had the Seal, but Grom and Cassia wouldn’t be…dead.’

    He sat straighter, clutching his head. ‘It was my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to him! I shouldn’t have listened to him!’ he thought, the words repeating in his mind. He teared up, regretting ever following the words of the false seer of Arceus that ultimately lead to his own demise.

    His thoughts were interrupted as Matheus came out from the trees, carrying a bundle of small green berries in his arms. Lawrence quickly composed himself as Matheus held one up. “Found a bunch of Lum berries,” he said. “Pretty bland, but they’re filling, and they’re good medicine too.” He popped it into his mouth and shrugged. “Better than nothing.”

    He handed some off to Lawrence, then sat next to him continued to eat his berries. As they ate, he pointed to his right and said, “We keep heading south for two days or so and we’ll be in the Iren desert. Two days after that, we’ll be in the Velcan Range, where Mount Furnek is. Then it’ll take three days to cross the desert and get over to Saunte.” He lowered the berries, concentrating. “I…I think I’ll be going to sleep now.” He threw the remaining berries in his mouth and finished them, then slid off the root onto the soft earth below. He pulled his hat over his eyes, leaving Lawrence to finish eating.

    The younger Lucario ate several more, then looked down at the berries. He wrinkled his nose, then threw away the rest. He slid down the other side of the root and made himself comfortable. He felt all the day’s tiredness hit him at once, setting him swiftly to sleep, despite the nightmarish thoughts that plagued him.

    ~~~~

    Gray. Lawrence saw only gray. He didn’t notice himself in his human form, only that this dreamscape appeared to be a haze of darkness.

    A bulge appeared in front of him, then extended skyward, darkening into coarse brown bark. Two massive limbs stretched from the center, sharp claws separating into digits. A plume of emerald-green leaves erupted from its top, and the bottom separated into a series of root-like feet. A hanging black maw opened beneath the leaves, and a single, ruby eye flashed awake above it. The Trevenant of the Revenant Woods.

    The Trevenant’s eye narrowed. “The end of days approaches, and the Keeper has not come to be. Even now, the Tree of Life absorbs the Life that remains in the soil, preparing for this final calamity.” The Trevenant stopped, noticing the tears that stained Lawrence’s face. “Why do you suffer so?”

    Lawrence lowered his head, avoiding the piercing gaze of the Trevenant. “Cassia’s gone…Grom’s dead…two of my only friends here.” He made a shuddering sigh, then looked up to the Trevenant. “Why did you give me and Cassia that prophecy? I don’t know who this Keeper is, and Aleron can’t be awakened. And with Cassia…dead…” He shook his head. “I should’ve known that Tursha—Arthus—lied. Then they’d still be here.”

    The Trevenant enclosed Lawrence with a claw, moaning and creaking. “The Usurper’s tricks manipulate the mind. Many have fallen to his lies; in his mind, the ends justify the means.” He raised his arm, pointing at the sky. “I am deeply sorry for the suffering he put upon you…however, the words of the prophecy must come to pass if Equivos is to be saved.”

    “But how am I supposed to do that if Aleron is dead? Matheus said he couldn’t be brought back!” Lawrence exclaimed.

    The gray sky darkened, and pinpricks of light clustered together, forming the constellations that Lawrence knew from Unova and Sinnoh. The Trevenant’s mouth creaked into a grin. “Stars are a wondrous gift from the Creator. He made them to guide us, to show us the way to what we seek. Just as stars, the influence of the guides of this world shine bright, leading Pokémon to where they should be.” He gestured to himself. “I am a star. The Legends are stars. Aleron is a star. Arceus created us to be guides to all who seek him, and to know the best course to return to him, and to those we love.” He held his arms out and bellowed, “‘The truth once held must take once more for the Keeper to be awakened for war. Awaken Aleron, as well as the Keeper, and Equivos may be reborn to live on.’” The Trevenant narrowed his gaze once more. “Remember my words.”

    Lawrence stepped forward, holding his arms out. “But Aleron’s dead!”

    The sky lightened to gray once more, and gray mist wrapped around the Trevenant’s limbs. “Matheus Lucario is a servant of Arceus. Ask him what you will in Arceus’ name, and he is obligated to answer. Heed this counsel, and Aleron may awaken once more.” The Trevenant faded completely into mist, then the cloud surrounded Lawrence’s vision. He woke.

    ~~~~

    Lawrence’s eyes opened slowly. He shifted his arm and felt what seemed to be rope. He looked at his chest and saw glowing red tendrils receding from his chest and sinking into the ground, their light dimming.

    He pushed against his chest, feeling no pain. He peeked under the bandages and saw pristine fur completely untouched by any wound. Sighing with relief, he pulled off the bandages, grateful for the Trevenant’s coming.

    “Who did it?”

    Lawrence sat upright and twisted around, finding Matheus standing behind him, his arms crossed, brow furrowed. “Who healed you? Those gashes would’ve taken weeks to heal, yet here you are, like new.”

    Lawrence scraped his paw against the ground, remembering the dream. “The Trevenant…he came to me and must’ve healed me.”

    Matheus’ eyes widened. “The Trevenant of the Revenant Woods?” Lawrence nodded.

    The Legend turned away with a grim expression. “So…it’s come to that.” He closed his eyes. “What did he say to you?”

    The Trevenant’s words rang clearly in Lawrence’s mind. He recounted what the Trevenant taught him, from the environment of the dream, to the last words of warning.

    After he finished, Matheus set a paw on Lawrence’s shoulder. “None of it was your fault, Lawrence. I was fooled too. I should’ve seen Arthus’ aura under that disguise.” He rubbed his chin. “Still…what he said is true. The last day is approaching.”

    Lawrence lowered his eyes. “You mean the Day of Desolation, don’t you?” Matheus nodded. “When is it?”

    Matheus shrugged. “Even I don’t know. The signs just point to it. Life is indeed leaving the ground and going to the Tree of Life. Yveltal awakened years ago, and a priestess has come forth to preach his word one final time. The only sign left is the final one: The Legends calling one final time, saying that they have come to destroy Equivos.” Matheus shook Lawrence and said, “That’s why we have to go to Furnek and Saunte, even without Cassia. Every Pokémon in Serenita needs the chance to embrace Arceus before that day, no matter how far it may be in the future.

    Lawrence looked around him sadly. ‘I don’t all this to go; Sinnoh and Unova are only shadows of this place because of how men developed it. Serenita was free from that. Yet it’s going to be gone.’

    “Will…will everyone die?” Lawrence asked.

    Matheus forced a smile. “No…but unfortunately, many will.” He took a deep breath, then pointed to his right. “We best get going. Furnek is a three-day trip, then another three days to Saunte. We can’t waste any time.” He leered at Lawrence. “But we’ll still be taking breaks. Understood?” Lawrence nodded sharply in reply, then they continued their journey to the volcanic Mount Furnek.

    Over the next two days, they continued in relative silence. Lawrence still felt the stabbing pains of being without Cassia and Grom. Each time he closed his eyes, he hoped for the childlike Golurk to pop behind him and say his signature phrase, ‘Grom,’ to make him jump, or for Cassia to come over to him and show him another phrase from the Arceist Tome. But neither happened. Only Matheus’ occasional babble about the environment came—none of it a replacement for what was lost.

    Finally, after two days, the tall and winding palms of the Faylen jungle thinned out into stout and sturdy cacti, rooted in coarse, arid sand rather than moist, rich soil. A seemingly-endless sea of sand stretched before them, the occasional Trapinch or Sandile skittering across its surface. Vibrava jittered in the breeze, veering away from the Vikavolt that soared high above them, seeking a suitable meal to zap.

    Matheus stopped next to Lawrence, then pointed to their right. Across the sand, a hump belching black soot rose, surrounded by a patch of black rock. “There’s the Velcan range. Real far away, despite how close it looks. Rather not be in such a place, to be frank, but it’s the last major settlement outside Saunte that never heard about Arceus.” He raised a paw and said, “Did you know that Cassia spent most of her two years finding all the smaller settlements scattered around? There’s not too many of them, but they’re real far apart, and with Pokémon in dire need of some help.” He grinned, pushing back his hat. “Even if they weren’t on the map, she still found it in her heart to help them.”

    He noticed Lawrence’s glum expression at the mention of the Zoroark. He held his head and grit his teeth, then said, “Sorry…I know it still hurts.”

    “It’s fine,” Lawrence croaked. He stepped onto the warm sand, turning to look study the horizon. Parallel to the distant Mount Furnek was an outcropping of reddish stone, forming a valley in the center. “What’s that over there?”

    Matheus scowled. “The Guild.” He spat on the sand. “Arthus and I chose that place because of its defensibility. An underwater spring, fresh soil, and only one good way in or out.” He clenched his fist. “If it wasn’t for the underground escape tunnel we built into it, I could never have gotten inside with Laryon all those years ago.”

    “What was Equivos like in your time?”

    Matheus blinked. “I…well, it’s…changed…” He groaned, massaging his temple. “Well, there were more wild Pokémon around. Dangerous ones, at that. It was such a problem that Pokémon were hiring mercenaries to rescue them if they got trapped. I made the Guild to make the entire process more organized.” He walked toward Furnek, waving his arms behind him. “Of course, since then, pretty much all the wild Pokémon are docile. Nothing like my day. You had to constantly worry about Arbok coming in your sleep, or a stampede of Tauros tearing across the plains. All of them are gone now, along with the outlaws that defied Guild control.” Lawrence followed the Legend as he mused.

    “Ah, what a day to be alive,” Matheus said. “It was a golden age once the Guild was restored. Two thousand years of peace, with only wild Pokémon and the occasional Outlaw to ruin someone’s day.” He growled. “Until Arthus returned.”

    Knowing he was treading unstable ground, yet still wanting to learn more, Lawrence asked, “Why was he put into the Cocoon? Why wasn’t he just executed?”

    “Me personally, I never wanted to see Arthus dead; in that time, he did horrible things, but I still loved him like a brother…mostly.” He shook his head. “Arceus didn’t see fit to kill Arthus either, despite what he did. While I don’t know all his reasoning, I believe he thought that Arthus would change over his incarceration.” He snorted. “If only it wasn’t for the worse.”

    Sensing that Matheus had answered enough questions, Lawrence backed away. The Legend continued to scowl, dwelling on age-old events harrowed up by the inquisitive Lucario.

    The continual grief for Cassia once again returned, the momentary distraction doing nothing to stop it. ‘She could have helped me so much—with my thoughts, my fears, everything. Even to awaken Aleron, as impossible as it seems.’ He kept thinking about the impossibility of these events, why he even had to complete them, and why he should even care. All the while, Cassia kept circling in his mind, even until the late evening, when Matheus finally halted their trek.

    “Well, we made good progress today. Might be able to make it by noon tomorrow, actually.” Matheus set his bag down and dug through it. “Might as well rest up here. Could maybe get some training done in the morning.” He looked over to Lawrence. “You think you’d feel up to that?”

    Lawrence sat down, nodding. He went to open the bag over his shoulder but stopped. He hadn’t inspected what she left behind until now. It might prove too much for him to bear.

    He left the bag alone and set it on the ground. A sheet of paper poked out of it, folded together. Curious, Lawrence carefully pulled out the paper and unfolded it. The prophecy of the Trevenant lay within.

    He sat down, reading it. Cassia had underlined portions of the text, adding in notes of what she thought each of the lines meant. Toward the bottom, she heavily circled the line ‘Awaken Aleron,’ and wrote to the side ‘Ask Matheus.’

    “What are you in the mood for tonight? Lum, or Lum?” Matheus asked, taking out a sack. He looked over to Lawrence with a sly grin, which disappeared upon noticing the paper. “What is that?”

    Lawrence set a paw over the circled text. “Who was Aleron?”

    Matheus lowered the bag of berries. “I told you what I was willing to say.”

    “What else is there?”

    “It’s not your business to know,” Matheus warned.

    “It is my business to know,” Lawrence replied, his grip tightening on the paper. “The Trevenant wanted me to find him. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but I need to do it!”

    Matheus stood up, holding his paws apart. “He. Is. Dead. End of story. I will not talk about him!”

    Lawrence fumed and held the paper in front of Matheus. “Cassia thought it was important! She wanted to know more about him, and you told her nothing!” Lawrence exhaled sharply, then said, “If you really want to help me, you will tell me more about him.” Matheus glared at Lawrence, barely shaking his head.

    Lawrence remembered his dream, and the final advice the Trevenant had given him. “In the name of Arceus, you will tell me everything you know about Aleron.”

    Matheus’ eyes widened in surprise. He furrowed his brow, then rocked his head back in forth. He growled, then sat on an opposing rock and took off his hat. He set it on his lap, then rubbed his temple “It’s…more complicated than you think.” He held up the hat, inspecting it, then sighed. “You see…I really haven’t done that much to help Equivos. Sure, I helped imprison Arthus years ago, but I’m the one responsible for creating him. I created the Guild to help Pokémon, but it ended up hurting them instead.” He lowered the hat. “Even after I was resurrected, I felt like I did little to deserve it. I helped Pokémon, sure, but it was only rarely. Honestly, I spent my time watching from afar, in the Tree of Life…away from the Pokémon I failed.” He crimped the edges of the hat, avoiding Lawrence’s gaze.

    He brushed a paw through his silver fur. “It wasn’t until Arceus gave me a certain assignment that I felt like I truly was making up for my mistakes. I became the perfect example of what an Arceist was supposed to be: selfless, caring, obedient, and humble, all because I felt like I was forgiven.” He set his hat back on his head, “I was to go out into the world and gather the writings of his prophets. Then I needed to bind them into a book, then make copies for all Pokémon to read, to know his word.”

    Lawrence blinked, then cocked his head. “Wait a minute. I thought—”

    “Yes, yes, Aleron did those things,” Matheus sighed. He winced, then said, “You see…”

    I am Aleron.”

    ~~~~

    Across the eastern ocean of Equivos, on the continent of Deitae, a magnificent golden tree towered over the Luminescent Woods. The glowing bulbs of light popped from the soil and into the sky, shining over the domains of the Legends of Equivos.

    The golden bark of the tree reflected the multi-colored leaves, all coursing with peculiar energy. The roots ingrained themselves in the center of the woods at the center of the continent, spreading across the entire clearing. Pulses of crimson light shot through the roots, soaking into the source of life itself.

    Perched atop the tree was a giant onyx creature, its wings folded over its chest. Its claws clamped around the uppermost boughs, its crimson underbelly pulsing with each glow of the root. Its silvery-blue eyes gazed across the continent, then to the distant coast of Serenita beyond.

    “Remain watchful, children of Arceus. The time draws nigh for the end of Life, and I shall not be prevented from ending those unfaithful. All within Serenita shall fall…” He spread his wings and fanned his tail, surging his Y-shaped body with Life energy.

    “At the wings of Yveltal.”
     
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    Chapter 22: Change
  • Chapter 22: Change


    Aleron is known,

    A death of mind.

    The Keeper now awakens,

    For all to find.

    The love still remains,

    Just and kind.

    Let Arceus be praised,

    For leaving misery behind.

    ~~~~

    Matheus averted his eyes from Lawrence’s gaze. They sat across from each other, ignoring the sand that swept through the air by the wind.

    After moments of silence, Matheus finally said, “Yes, I’m Aleron. I used that name as a pseudonym while I traveled; my reputation as the guardian of Laryon Lucario would have brought too much attention upon myself if I went by my own name.”

    Lawrence leaned in closer. “Why didn’t you say any of this before?

    “Because I’m ashamed, that’s why!” Matheus exclaimed. “I never wanted to tell anyone because of how I left them!” He exhaled, then shook his head. “I didn’t want to tell you, but now that you know…might as well.”

    He shifted uncomfortably on the rock. “When I was first assigned by Arceus to assemble the Arceist Tome three hundred years ago, I thought I was useless. Equivos remembers me for training Laryon and helping him save the world by taking a fatal blow from Arthus.” He spat. “It wasn’t as noble as you think. Sure, I trained him, but only out of duty; it wasn’t until the end that I actually loved him as my nephew. I would’ve just wandered Equivos as a broken Pokémon, reeling over Arthus’ betrayal till the day I died. Instead, I was dragged into a quest to save a little Riolu’s dear aunt—my sister.” He stared off into space, distant.

    He blinked, then said, “Anyway, about Aleron. I hadn’t done much but look out on Equivos through the Tree of Life since I got there; the last time I interacted with any mortal Pokémon was when Laryon was alive. He’d been dead for generations when Arceus requested for me. So naturally, I was hesitant.

    “But as it was my duty to obey him, I complied. I started gathering writings, and when they asked for my name, I came up with Aleron.” He looked up, reminiscing. “That was when I finally felt like I was doing something worthwhile. I began helping the towns out with the outlaws and wild Pokémon, sometimes working with the Guild. I became enthralled in the work that I had left for centuries.” He sighed contentedly.

    Matheus paused, continuing to look to the sky. After a few moments, Lawrence asked, “What changed?”

    Matheus’ grin disappeared. “After a hundred years of gathering the writings of Arceus’ prophets and making dozens of copies, Arceus asked me if I enjoyed serving Equivos the way I had. I said I did.” He grimaced, leaning forward. “He said he was pleased with the great service I had done. He told me that Legends such as myself were not supposed to have regular interactions with mortal Pokémon, due to the great influence we tend to have over their activities.” He clasped his paws together. “So, he gave me a choice: I could continue roving Equivos, or I could return to the Tree of Life, coming out once a month to serve. The cost…” He turned away. “My immortality.”

    Lawrence’s eyes widened as he leaned back. “That’s…that’s surprising.”

    Matheus nodded. “I know. I asked if something else could be done, but he said no. He set the laws on how Legends could interact with Pokémon, and even I, a former mortal, had to obey them—and he could do nothing to change them, considering that the other Legends would have taken advantage of it.” He pulled his hat over his eyes. “You can guess what I chose.”

    “But why?” Lawrence blurted. “Didn’t you like what you did? What’s the point of living if you can’t do what you love?”

    “Because, Lawrence, I’m a shoddy brawler,” Matheus groaned. “Look, I know I can beat up a bunch of Guild Pokémon with little trouble, but I was on even grounds with Arthus and I couldn’t handle Grom when he went berserk.” He readjusted his hat, staring at the ground. “It doesn’t help that my aura’s been weaker ever since Arthus went off the deep end. If it wasn’t for Laryon, well…” He rubbed his eyes. “Point is, I chose immortality over service. Oh, I still got to go around for a little bit, but it just wasn’t as often or...satisfying.”

    He stopped and looked at Lawrence. “The reason why I did was because I’m reckless. That’s how I’ve always been, always will be. I’d go in and do the craziest things just to save a couple of Pokémon, and half-killed myself each and every time.” He growled and shook his head. “If it wasn’t for Arthus keeping me in line, I’d have been dead the first day out of Quantus.” He rubbed his shoulder, looking away. “So, I wanted to make sure that if I did anything stupid, I’d at least live to tell the tale.”

    Matheus held up a finger. “But if I had the chance to change my answer, I would. At least if I had said no to immortality, I’d have been more careful…and, well, I wouldn’t have to live through Arthus ruining the world twice over.” He grimaced. “It was painful enough the first time.”

    Lawrence remained silent, considering his words. After a moment, he said, “Did you ever…go back, after that?”

    Matheus sighed. “No. No I didn’t. After I realized the choice I made—myself over others—I didn’t feel worthy. It just reminded me of when I isolated myself for ten years, regretting my decision to complete the Trials and allowing Arthus to become who he is.” He shivered. “That was a dark time. I only thought of how I could have made things different, how I was the reason Arthus’ wife died, how I caused Laryon’s parents to die—even if I didn’t know how or why they happened.” He exhaled waveringly. “I know now it was really Arthus’ fault, in some way…but I couldn’t help but feel that. All because I thought I was strong enough to defeat Arceus’ greatest challenge.” He swallowed. “I was. But I wasn’t for the consequences.”

    Matheus’ gaze hardened, then he sat straight. “I can’t be Aleron. Not anymore. He was selfless, kind, and devout. I’m none of those things. Not since I refused Arceus’ will.” He stood up, stormed away from Lawrence, then sat on the side. He lay on his side and tersely said, “Get to sleep. We’ve got a long way to Furnek.”

    Lawrence stared at Matheus, processing what he had admitted to. He got off the rock and lay on the cool sand, rolling onto his side. The distant green of the Faylen Jungle stood in view, reminding him of Cassia’s fate.

    He slept fitfully that night.

    ~~~~

    The next morning, Lawrence woke up to see Matheus standing on a boulder sticking out from the sand. His back faced the younger Lucario as he stood, looking out toward the distant canyon walls of The Guild.

    Lawrence carefully approached Matheus, studying the hazy vision. The ruddy brown of the sheer cliffs contrasted sharply with the bland yellow and white of the fine grains of sand. Black shapes flitted in and out of the walls, all going different directions. The rising heat formed what appeared to be vast pools of water around the walls, what Lawrence knew to be a mere mirage.

    He stopped at the foot of the boulder. The Legend gazed at the cliff, his eyes squinted and jaw firm. His tail hung limp behind him, not standing tall as it once did.

    Without turning, Matheus said, “I remember the day Arthus and I saw that canyon. We had just escaped from some thugs in Saunte and had found Barash. After we recovered, we saw the canyon walls and wanted to see how it was inside.”

    Matheus smiled. “Some Trapinch pits and Charjabug nests later, we found it. We were amazed by the sheer size of it; you could keep an entire town in it.” He raised a finger. “And Arthus said to me, ‘Someday, we’ll come back here. We’ll live here, have families, and help others, side by side.’” His smile disappeared. “We made the Guild. He married. I left. When I came back, nothing was the same. It was all twisted and corrupted, thanks to Arthus and his accursed servant, Gregorius.” He stiffened. “I confronted him. I won, but I didn’t feel like it. I ran. I blamed myself for what happened, and it’s thanks to me the world is…was, in danger.”

    He faced Lawrence. “I don’t deserve to be a Legend, Lawrence. I failed you. I failed Cassia. I failed Grom, Arthus…everyone I’ve known. Yet here I am, still serving Arceus, like I actually matter.” He held up a paw. “Don’t talk to me about this. Just…just leave me alone.” He hopped off the boulder and brushed past the other Lucario. He picked up the supply bag, then steadily paced toward Mount Furnek. Lawrence followed with Cassia’s bag, his head low and eyes narrowed.

    No words passed between them throughout the hike. Except for the occasional food and water break, Matheus remained several paces ahead of Lawrence, never looking back.

    This continued until evening fell once more, when they finally stopped. The charred and burning environment of the Velcan range now spread across the edge of the Iren Desert, surrounding the enormous volcano of Mount Furnek. Sparks and smoke spat from the vent into the sky, raining down on the crowded town wrapped around it below.

    Matheus set down the supply bag, his face dull. Lawrence carefully did the same with his own, then approached the other bag. “What’s for tonight?” he asked.

    Matheus didn’t reply. He turned toward Mount Furnek. “I can’t do it.”

    Lawrence cocked his head. “Do what?”

    “I can’t teach Furnek. The last time I saw the place was centuries ago, yet there’s one Pokémon who’d surely remember me: Vignon. He’d be a Darmanitan by now, likely in stone form. But he’d remember me. I helped him get adopted into a kind Simisear family in Furnek, and I promised to see him every month after that.” He bowed his head. “A few weeks later, Arceus made his offer. I never came back.” He groaned. “He’s surely told them stories on the mighty feats of ‘Aleron’ through the entire Velcan Range. They’ll know the truth of my identity if he saw me, and I can’t live through that.” He shook his head. “But we can’t leave them. Lawrence, you have to teach them.”

    Lawrence stepped back, holding his paws out. “But I’ve never done that before! What makes you think I can do it?”

    “You listened to Cassia, didn’t you? Use her as an example.”

    “Yeah, and I’ve only believed again for a little over a week!”

    “You believe, don’t you?”

    “Yes, but—”

    Matheus grabbed Lawrence’s shoulder and pulled him closer. “Do you trust in him? Trust that he knows what is best for you, trust that what he does is right?”

    Lawrence blinked. He looked away, remembering his experiences before he came to Equivos—the Nidoking, the church, the Houndour. The feelings of loneliness and distrust rang clear in his mind from those alone.

    Then the loss of Grom and Cassia.

    Lawrence pulled away, setting a paw on his head. “I-I’m not sure. It’s…it’s hard to say.”

    Matheus narrowed his eyes. “It’s one thing to believe in Arceus and to realize he helps us. It’s another thing to trust in him to do what’s right.” He turned away and crouched over the supply bag. He dug through it and said, “That trust is what separates Arceists from the non-believers—or Arthus, to an extreme.” He pulled out the water casks and held them out. “I’m going to fill these up. I don’t want the Pokémon of Furnek to have a faithless teacher, so consider my words.” He brushed past Lawrence and went south, moving away from Furnek.

    Lawrence sat to himself, dwelling on what Matheus had said. His thoughts gradually turned to Cassia, and what she had done to preach to Equivos. And himself.

    ‘She always took a story from the Tome,’ he thought. ‘Then applied it to the issue they had in life.’ He took his Pokédex and entered the files from the Tome—only to realize one crucial thing:

    ‘I don’t know any stories!’

    He turned off the screen and growled, holding his head. ‘I’m useless for this! I don’t even know if I should trust Arceus!’ He stopped. He looked down, focusing on Cassia’s bag.

    He stared. ‘I haven’t looked inside since she…died.’ He reached for it, then drew back his paw. ‘Should I? This is her personal stuff…I’ve only really seen inside once.’ He thought back to that fateful day, picking apples with Cassia, when her mask fell into view.

    He swallowed hard, then reached for the bag. ‘I—I think I should.’ He pulled the flap off the bag, revealing the darkness inside.

    Lawrence took a deep breath, then carefully placed a searching paw inside. He felt around for a moment, then grabbed a small parcel. He pulled it out and found it was the mask he remembered only minutes before.

    He opened the drawstring bag and allowed the mask to slide out onto his paw. The white mask reflected the moonlight, surrounding the pitch-black gauze of the eyes. He held the mask up to his face and looked through it. The gauze made the environment slightly darker, but otherwise fully visible.

    He lowered the mask. ‘This was Cassia’s last reminder of Arianne…the one who taught her about the Tome.’ He rubbed its surface, smiling. ‘She always wore this to hide her eyes…’ He put the mask back into its bag. ‘I wish she didn’t have to hide herself like that.’ Reaching into Cassia’s belongings once more, he grabbed what felt like a long rod.

    Lawrence lifted the rod and found it was a small, ornate mirror. The frame and handle were both made of polished silver, and the oval surface of the mirror was polished as well.

    He gazed into it, finding it odd that Cassia would have such a belonging. He flipped it around and saw there was a message inscribed on the back:

    To my dearest Cassia,

    A daughter more precious than the world.

    When you look into this mirror,

    Don’t think of anyone else.

    Don’t think of their lies, their deceits, their illusions.

    Think only of the purity that is you.

    Arthus Zoroark,

    Your Father

    Lawrence held the mirror away, amazed. ‘I always thought Arthus was just a monster. But...maybe he was more than that?’ He remembered the brief glimpses Cassia gave of her past, and how much she had loved Arthus.

    He passed his paw over the message. ‘I can agree with him on one thing: Cassia was pure.’ He sighed. ‘I wish she didn’t have to hide herself.’ He set the mirror down next to the mask. ‘I guess she wanted to remember all the good Arthus had.’ He reached into Cassia’s bag once more, finding a small book.

    He opened it and saw dozens of names, all lined through the few pages inside. Most of the pages were filled with names of Pokémon, while the last two seemed to indicate entire cities. All but two had a line crossed through them: Furnek and Saunte.

    ‘She wanted to reach everybody, everywhere…no matter how long it took.’ He looked down at the bottom of the last page and blinked. ‘Lawrence Lucario’ was circled and had a line through it. The line appeared more recent.

    ‘She…she fought so hard…for me to believe. Even when I refused.’ Lawrence thought of the times she sat next to her to read from the Tome, learning scripture and how he should apply them to his life. He unfortunately remembered few, but their messages still rang true to him.

    He set down the book and reached into the bag once more. He pulled out a small sack, covered in black dust and patches. Peering inside, he found a collection of various lengths of charcoal, along with several blobs of clay and a small knife.

    ‘Her drawing utensils,’ Lawrence thought. He thought of her drawing in each new environment, perfectly capturing the details with her charcoal. Whenever she wasn’t teaching, she was always sitting with Grom, drawing and chatting with the black Golurk.

    Lawrence swallowed hard, setting down the bag. ‘Now that can’t happen anymore.’

    He felt three pads of paper within the bag, with two smaller and newer than the other. He brought the newer ones out and flipped one open, seeing scattered drawings of various figures, such as a flower, an Eevee, and a house.

    Lawrence smiled. ‘These must be from when she started out.’ He turned the page and saw more practice drawings, each getting progressively better. He flipped through the other, finding more of the same, then reached into the bag, meeting with a leather-bound pad of paper. He gingerly pulled it out, knowing it to be Cassia’s sketchpad. The beaten leather cover had her first initial, ‘C’, printed on it—likely because of Arthus—and the brown thread binding the pages at the top still had faint traces of red in its weave.

    He passed his paw over the aged leather, then flipped over the cover and saw a massive wooden gate set in rock, with limp branches and leaves sticking out from the top. Although he had never seen this gate, he knew where it was: “The Guild.” Despite the harsh environment he envisioned for it, the gate held a somber, almost beautiful quality to it, like it was meant to be a guardian to those within rather than a jailer.

    He turned to the next page and saw a Gardevoir standing in a vast plain, looking toward the horizon. Lawrence knew her to be Arianne, Cassia’s former teacher. He remembered how much Cassia loved her, and how she had taught the Zoroark to be the perfect priestess.

    The next page showed the Gardevoir with a Gallade, and Lawrence remembered the brief glimpses he saw of Cassia the night Arianne died: of her running across the plains into the forest, attacking the Weavile. But then she calmed, understanding that the aged Gardevoir would be at peace.

    ‘At peace,’ Lawrence thought. ‘Just like Cassia.’ No more worries, pains, sufferings, prejudice. She never had to worry about these afflictions anymore, untimely as it was. Cassia set aside her hatred, because she chose not to blame Arceus for the troubles of the world—unlike Arthus had done—but instead trust Arceus to somehow remove them.

    Lawrence blinked, connections forming in his mind. He flipped through the next few pages, going through the various portraits and landscapes until he found one he recognized: a Golurk holding a Fletchling on his finger in the middle of a glade.

    He set his paw over the picture. He remembered that moment well. It was such a little thing then, but now he wished he could relive it, if only to see Grom again. And Cassia.

    He turned the page and saw the Iren Desert, overlooking the city of Barash. The first day he saw Cassia’s true form.

    He turned again and saw himself standing in a glade with Cassia and Grom, along with the Buneary they had saved. The second time he saved Pokémon.

    He kept turning pages, remembering the Eastern Coast and Hydren, where he discovered Cassia’s lie. Xilo and its peaks, where his aura finally awakened. The Faylen jungle, where he finally realized that—

    ‘I loved her.’

    Lawrence stared at the image of the jungle. ‘She was always doing what was best for others, even if they hated how she really looked like,’ he thought, ‘Even for me, someone who hated what she believed.’ He held up his paw. ‘She didn’t care what happened to her…as long as she could bring Pokémon to Arceus.’ He closed the pad. ‘She trusted in him completely to save them…and herself.’

    He paused. He did remember a story: the Timburr and the trees, where he planted them, expecting to have wood to harvest. When none came after weeks of waiting, he left them, only for them to grow into a mighty forest. But he never returned, because he thought that seeds never grew to be trees.

    ‘He believed…he trusted the seeds to grow…and they did.’ Lawrence held a paw to his head. ‘I used to trust Arceus, but then I didn’t. And I’ve been miserable since.’ He held up the pad. ‘Cassia trusted Arceus…she was happy.’ He lowered the pad. ‘Until the end.’

    A folded piece of paper slipped out from the back of the pad and fell on the ground. Lawrence cocked his head, picked up the paper, then unfolded it. Inside was an intricate drawing of himself, Matheus, Grom, and Cassia. Lawrence stood in the center, while Matheus was to his right, Cassia to his left, and Grom standing behind. Matheus and Cassia both wrapped an arm over Lawrence’s shoulders, while Grom crouched and leaned forward, embracing everyone. All of them smiled at Lawrence.

    Lawrence’s stared in amazement at the portrait. ‘When did she draw this?’ He looked down and saw the words ‘Remember us, Lawrence!’ elegantly drawn at the bottom—along with another piece of paper behind the drawing.

    He shuffled the drawing behind the other, revealing long, spidery letters lining the paper. Lawrence read:

    Dear Lawrence,

    By the time you read this, you’ll probably be back home in Unova. I understand why you had to leave, but I’ll still miss you. I was hoping we could make a life here in Equivos after we were done in Saunte, but now that you’re gone, well, I’ll have to stay with Grom.

    But I don’t want to find someone else. You’re one of the few Pokémon I’ve really felt comfortable around, and the only one that wasn’t old or a Golurk. There’s too much hatred toward Zoroark like me to find someone who will appreciate me like you.

    I wish I could have come with you to Unova. I’ve seen everything in Equivos, and as much as I love this place, it won’t be the same without you. I don’t care what your world would think of me; I just want to be with you.

    I know that it’s dangerous for me, and you’d never let me go because of that. So I didn’t push that. But I hope—no, want you to come back. You came here once, and you can surely come here again. I’ll wait here with Grom until you do.

    I trust Arceus that he’ll help us see each other again,

    Cassia

    Lawrence looked up from the letter. ‘You trusted Arceus…that we’d see each other again.’ His paws shook. ‘I…I remember. The Tree of Life. Everyone who dies…returns.’ He let the drawing fall from his paws. ‘I…I can see her again. When I die…she’ll be waiting for me. For me to return.’ Tears brimmed his eyes. “I’ve been thinking about it all wrong. Arceus does love me. He does care.” He stared up adamantly, looking at the stars of Equivos—where he knew he belonged.

    His eyes widened as he remembered. He crossed his arms and bowed his head, then squeezing his eyes shut, said, “Thank you, Arceus. Y-You’ve helped me see so much. I love Equivos and what it has brought me.”

    He tilted up his head and opened his eyes. “Cassia helped me and so many others see the truth. I’ll miss her for her smile, her company—everything about her.” He came to his feet. “She died trusting you’d do what was right. And through her, you have.”

    He raised a paw and thrust it into the sky. “I’ll finish what she started! I won’t forget her, or Grom, or anyone else! I won’t forget what she’s done for me!”

    He lowered his paw, then sighed. “And I won’t forget what you’ve done for me.”

    The cross of despair and gladness that filled Lawrence’s heart swept away in exchange for peace. A deep, wholesome calm, as if nothing could be wrong in anything. All the sadness, all the pain—vanished.

    He fell to his side, exhausted. He immediately fell into a warm, sustaining sleep. One that he had never experienced since Cassia’s fate.

    ~~~~

    Light. Warmth. Wind. Sand. The bright morning light reflected off the smooth grains. Vikavolt burrowed back underground for their next flight, while Vibrava resurfaced, filling the air with light-hearted buzzing. The brisk breeze churned up the sand, coating the fur of the two Lucario on its banks.

    Lawrence took a deep breath, opened his eyes, then sat up, stretched, and shook off the sand in his fur. He looked to his left and saw Cassia’s bag, packed with her belongings.

    A stab of guilt and sadness struck Lawrence’s core. She was still gone. Just like Grom. No more surprise hugs, no more silent footsteps from either the Zoroark or Golurk. It was just him and a legendary Lucario. Alone.

    He shook his head. ‘I’ll see her again…even if she’s not here now.’ The despair fled from the peace that gradually filled his chest.

    The Lucario stood up, picked up the bag, then turned around expecting to see Matheus sleeping nearby. He searched for a moment and saw Matheus sitting away from him, his head tilted down.

    Lawrence cocked his head and approached the Legend. Upon reaching Matheus, Lawrence noticed Cassia’s letter in his paws.

    Matheus gazed at the letter, unmoving. “You’re awake.” He glanced at Lawrence. “Good.” He nodded his head, then continued staring at the letter.

    Lawrence looked around momentarily, then cleared his throat. “Don’t you think we should…get going?” Matheus didn’t respond.

    Lawrence looked at the other side of Matheus and saw the supply bag, with the casks poking out from the top. “Did you find water last night?”

    “Hm?” Matheus perked up from his letter, staring up in space. He shrugged his shoulders, then said, “Yeah, I found it…like always.” He trailed off, muttering.

    Lawrence sat down next to Matheus, pulling off Cassia’s bag. “Are you alright?”

    Matheus blinked, then slowly turned toward Lawrence. “I could ask the same about you. Why are you suddenly in a good mood?” He grumbled, turning back to the letter.

    Lawrence bit his lip, turning away. “I’ve just…come to terms with reality is all.” He sighed. “No use being sad for the rest of my life. I’ll always miss Cassia and Grom, but at least they don’t have to worry about anything anymore.”

    Matheus paused. “You’ve…you’ve already come to that?” He cringed, folding the letter down. “More progress than I’ve ever made.”

    “E-Excuse me?”

    Matheus threw down the letter. “Yes, you’ve done better than this miserable old coot of a Lucario ever did!” He stormed upright. “For most of my life, I’ve thought of nothing but how I failed Equivos! I hid away in the Tree of Life, sorry for myself for creating the most vicious Pokémon Equivos has ever seen—and losing my home and my friends with him! I don’t even know what made him change!” He tore off his hat and smacked against his other paw. “Everyone I know dies! No matter how much I try to protect them! First my Guildmembers, then my village—” He took a deep breath, then lowered his hat. “Then Cael…my brother.”

    He knelt on the ground, then held up Cassia’s letter. “She cared so much for you. She believed in you. She knew you’d do what’s right.” He lowered the letter, then his head. “No one’s ever said that about me.” The letter fell from his paws. “I’ve failed you. I could’ve saved her, yet I didn’t. Another mistake made with thousands of others.” He held up his hat, then let it fall to the sand. “I don’t deserve to be a Legend.”

    Only the wind passed between them in those long moments. Matheus hung his head, eyes closed, while Lawrence stared at the ground, watching the individual grains of sand shifted with the others.

    Lawrence raised his eyes, a small grin coming across his face. “Alright, you, Matheus, have made mistakes. You did things wrong, and I agree with you.” Matheus exhaled, his head dipping closer to the ground.

    Lawrence set a paw on Matheus’ shoulder. “But let’s look at what Aleron did.” Matheus opened his eyes.

    “Aleron saved hundreds, thousands of Pokémon. He made the Arceist Tome, helping others know the truth!” He shook Matheus slightly. “If it weren’t for you, Aleron, none of that would’ve happened.”

    Matheus shrugged him away. “But Arceus could’ve easily chosen someone else."

    Lawrence shook his head. “No. He couldn’t have. No one else could’ve trained me like you.” He came to his feet and stood in front of Matheus. “If you weren’t a Legend, then all the Lucario would’ve been dead when Arthus came back.”

    “Don’t remind me.”

    “But since you were still around, you saved me and Cassia from being captured by Arthus. You trained me to fight like a Lucario. You taught me how to use aura—and how to find it.” Lawrence held up his paws. “Before I came here, I hated Lucario; I thought they were creatures just driven by instinct, learning to fight only to attack others.” He shook his head, lowering his paws. “But now I know they’re more than that. They learn to fight so they protect those they love. They evolve because they love their partners. Everything about them involves loving others.”

    He sat next to Matheus once more, wrapping his arms around his knees. “The Pokémon in my world might be wild…but I can never look at them the same. I can see where Arceus was going with his commandment to love Pokémon like humans: they have the same capacity to love as we do.” He turned to Matheus. “And you helped me realize that. I don’t think anyone else could have done that. You deserve to be a Legend.”

    Matheus stared at him for moments after. He abruptly held out his paw. Lawrence accepted it, then Matheus quickly embraced him. “Thanks for that.” He shook his paw, then pushed away from Lawrence. He smiled. “Hard to believe you didn’t believe in Arceus.”

    Lawrence grinned. “Helps to have a miserable old coot of a Lucario beat it into you.”

    Matheus’ eyes widened, then he chuckled. “Yeah…I guess so.” They laughed together for the first time in nearly a week.

    Soon after, they continued their journey to the fiery Mount Furnek, with Matheus leading the way with renewed vigor. Lawrence trailed behind, reading the Tome from his Pokédex in preparation

    for what lay ahead.

    In a matter of hours, they crossed the border into a steaming, boiling environment, complete with hot springs and vents belching out vapor. Salandit skittered across the blackened ground, spitting poison as they went, while Torkoal lounged around the vast baths, soaking in the heat. All the while, Durant screeched across the landscape, hunting down what few berries lay in the heat.

    Lawrence panted, Cassia’s bag feeling heavier on his shoulder. “Is it usually this hot around here?”

    Matheus nodded, unfazed. “Welcome to the Velcan Wastes, full of mineral-rich hot springs, all warmed by lava chutes just below.” He pointed at one of the steam vents. “Every so often, one of those will go off and blast a Slugma to the surface. The unlucky sap turns to rock on contact, so the nice thing to do is to just toss it back in the vent and hope it lands back in lava.” He noticed Lawrence’s discomfort and sniffed. “It’s just a bit of steam. Be grateful it isn’t all smoky like it was a couple hundred years ago, when the ole volcano blew its top. Had to evacuate Furnek for that.”

    “I’m just not used to steam with a fur coat,” Lawrence panted.

    Matheus shrugged. “You’ll get used to it.”

    They continued on through the steaming wasteland, passing scanty Rawst bushes and beaten trails marked with metal-plated signs. Eventually, they reached the base of the volcano, and sprawling across was a series of interconnected metal frames. Box-like houses stood atop the frames, open-roofed, while stalls of all sorts popped up around the bridges between them.

    The Lucario stopped at the platforms, looking up at the single ladder up to the metallic realm. Covered in soot, it appeared to have not been used for years.

    Matheus paused for a moment, looking up. He stepped aside and gestured to the ladder. “I can climb up another way and watch from above. If Vignon is still alive, I’d rather not meet him.” He sighed. “But if you need help, just say the word. I expect that the Guild Pokémon shouldn’t be much trouble. I’ll wait up on the tower.”

    Lawrence nodded, then climbed up the surprisingly-cool ladder into Furnek. Matheus ran around the structures to a single tower that rose up from the ground. He steadily climbed up the posts embedded in the side to the roof—one of the few in Furnek. He then sat, watching Lawrence pass through the town.

    The younger Lucario passed by disheveled Blaziken and Magmar, all shying away from him. Darmanitan stood between the houses, backing away from him, glaring as he progressed to the center. Steadily, the Blaziken and Magmar followed him, daring not speak about him.

    He reached the central platform, which held little more than a shaded canopy decorated with small statuettes and dried food. Sitting on an intricate mat in the center was a massive stone statue in the shape of a Darmanitan, cracked and weary with age. The eyes were shut, and the mouth remained slightly open, as if it hoped to open once more.

    Lawrence stopped in front of the statue, and the Pokémon behind him stopped as well. The statue’s eyes ground open, a gentle pulse of white light shining from the stone.

    “You…” the statue said, its voice echoing from its mouth. “A Lucario…yet not.”

    Lawrence looked about him, expecting to see the signature black armbands of the Guild on the Pokémon; none were in sight. He turned to the statue and asked, “Where’s the Guild?”

    “All gone. The life of the Velcan Wastes proved too difficult to stand, so they returned to the land from which they came.” One of the statue’s eyes lowered. “Why are you here, Lucario-Yet-Not? How? They all died years ago.”

    “I survived,” Lawrence replied. “And I’m here to remind you about Arceus.”

    The statue’s eyes lowered. “We know him. We worship him. The Guild forced our trust, but when they left, we knew that Arceus held mercy, even within our desolate home.” He sighed his eyes closing. “Despite this, I don’t hold full faith in his servants. They make promises they cannot keep, even to themselves.” His eyes opened again. “Leave this place. The time of the Lucario has passed. They and their deeds should be forgotten.”

    The Fire Pokémon parted, creating a path back to the ladder. Lawrence turned around, noticing their distrustful faces. The Darmanitan in particular considered him warily.

    He looked up to the tower, expecting Matheus to be there. He was absent.

    Lawrence looked around him. The Furnekian Pokemon all stared at him as if he didn’t belong, staying several feet from him.

    He took a deep breath, then turned back to the Darmanitan. “You say you worship Arceus…yet you don’t trust his servants?”

    “One in particular,” the Darmanitan replied, his eyes remaining still.

    Lawrence slowly paced around him, holding an arm up. “Let’s look at why Arceus gave us prophets. He wanted us to learn how he wanted us to act, but he couldn’t give us his instructions himself, so he called Pokemon to do that for him. And not just any Pokemon—good, loyal Pokemon that he could trust.”

    “What about Gregorius, the dark prophet? Or Aleron, the one who abandoned his work?” The statue rumbled at the mention of the latter name.

    Lawrence resisted the urge to look at the Tome in his Pokédex, aware of the consequences. “As far as I know, Gregorius wasn’t a real prophet; he might’ve seen the future, but he wanted to tear down Arceus, just like Ar—the Usurper.” Pokemon muttered illegibly around him. Lawrence hoped it was for the better.

    He continued and said, “And Aleron…well, he had important work to do. Very important. So much that he couldn’t stay; he got invited to Deitae and was there until he—” Lawrence cut himself short, not wanting to reveal Matheus’ identity, yet not wanting to lie.

    The Pokemon stepped closer yet kept a tentative distance. The Darmanitan raised an eye in confusion. “Until he what?”

    Lawrence held his breath a moment, then said, “Until…he got permission to leave. I don’t know what happened to him…but know that he wanted to serve everyone as long as he lived.” More whispers permeated through the crowd, and they drew closer. The Darmanitan’s eyes closed, and a gentle rumble emanated from his feet.

    Feeling more confident, Lawrence faced the towns-Pokemon and said, “And isn’t that what all the prophets wanted to do? To help others? Look at what they’ve done! They saved lives when the Legends lived among us and guided the kingdoms to peace! And when times grew dark and they left, they came back after Laryon made the Guild, and with them, the Arceist Tome came! We have a whole history of Equivos and Arceus’ teachings—and none of it would have happened without them.” The whispers grew more positive and supportive as he spoke, and the Darmanitan’s neutral expression seemed to brighten.

    Lawrence stopped in front of him and knelt. “I might not belong here—in more ways than one. But Arceus had a plan when he created this world; the prophets were a key part of it.” He bowed his head and looked up at him. “Don’t let the actions of one ruin your perception of the rest.” The Darmanitan’s mouth creased into a slight smile.

    Astonished gasps erupted from the crowd as they parted for a silver Lucario solemnly stepping forward. Lawrence stood up and walked away from the Darmanitan, eyes wide. The Darmanitan’s eyes were lowered as Matheus stopped in front of him. “You look…familiar.”

    Matheus held a paw out toward the statue. “Vignon. It’s me.”

    The statue’s eyes widened. “Aleron?” He hovered above the mat in shock, then gently lowered, controlling himself. “You are still living, after all this time?”

    Matheus nodded, stepping closer. “Yes Vignon. I am Aleron—a Legend of Arceus.”

    Vignon’s eyes closed. “I should have expected as such.” They fluttered open. “I have told many tales of what you did for those here in Furnek, hundreds of years ago. Rescuing Pokémon, gathering food, defeating outlaws. None of those feats are as well-known as evacuating Furnek in its last great eruption.” He sighed. “I am the only one to have lived through that time, when I was a Darumaka.”

    “And I helped you find a family.” Matheus stopped in front of him, kneeling. “I told you I’d visit you every month after, helping you. I was unable to keep that commitment, and for that, I am sorry.” Vignon’s eyes remained still. Matheus continued, “But I’ll tell you now: I wanted to come. I wanted to help you. And our priestess wanted to come to you as well.” He set a paw against Vignon’s head. “I made many promises to you, and I regret not being able to fulfill them. You reminded me so much of my nephew, and I am sorry to have disappointed you…like so many others.”

    Vignon’s eyes closed, and a tear escaped from one. “You are more than Aleron…Matheus, protector of Laryon.” He shifted, disturbing the mat. “I always hoped to see you once more. And with this other Lucario’s assurances, I understand why you left—and why you are still a true prophet. “The eyes opened, their light dimming. “Thank you.” The light extinguished, and he shrunk in a gentle crackle of stone. He became the same size as the other stones that surrounded him, at peace.

    Matheus and Lawrence gazed at each other and nodded. Matheus walked around the altar and joined him, then they passed through the crowds, exiting Furnek with Pokémon sustained in their faith.

    They remained silent until Furnek lay out of sight, when Lawrence finally asked, “Why’d you come down? I thought you didn’t want to see Vignon?”

    Matheus smiled. “When I saw that they didn’t see the prophets of Arceus in the best light, I knew that I was to blame.” He sighed. “It wouldn’t be right for me to ruin the memories of the other prophets. Plus…” He lowered his head. “I was Vignon’s hero. I needed to show that I was worth looking up to.”

    After a moment, Lawrence set a paw on Matheus’ shoulder. He looked up, and Lawrence smiled. “I was hoping for that...Aleron.”

    ~~~~

    At night, after leaving the Furnek Wastes and traveling part of the way through the Iren Desert, Matheus and Lawrence stopped for the night and bedded down for sleep. The cool sand proved relaxing after the heat of the harsh environments, and along with the chitter of Grubbin returning to the surface, they felt relaxed for the first time in what felt like forever.

    Matheus dug through the supply bag and pulled out two thin blankets. He tossed one to Lawrence and said, “Should be easy-going until we make it to Saunte. Best sleep for now though.”

    The blanket landed next to Lawrence with a soft thump. He sat with his legs up against his chest, looking up at the full moon.

    Matheus looked away for a moment, unfolding his blanket. He soon dropped it and shuffled next to Lawrence, sitting down. “You’re thinking about Cassia, aren’t you?”

    Lawrence nodded. “She would’ve wanted to see me back in Furnek. Me, of all people, teaching from the Tome.” He smiled, but it soon fell as he lowered his head. “It’s…it’s still hard to believe that she and Grom are gone. I keep waiting for her to just reappear, like she was invisible. Or for Grom to just wander back from somewhere, just…doing what he does.”

    They remained silent for a moment, then Lawrence asked, “Matheus…if Arceus really loves everyone, why doesn’t he just save everyone? Why couldn’t he have stopped Grom from destroying himself, or Cassia from dying?”

    Matheus raised an eyebrow. “You sound rather…uncertain, which is surprising, considering how you were earlier.”

    “I know,” Lawrence groaned. “But I wasn’t thinking about it much then, just…feeling, for lack of a better word. Now that I’ve had time to let it sink in….I just can’t help but wonder.”

    Matheus blew out his breath slowly, tapping his paws together. He stopped and said, “I don’t know what to say here—at least, not anything obvious. I guess it was just their time. Arceus has intervened on rare occasions, but that usually happened when someone’s life was in danger because of the actions of another. Grom caused his own death, and Arthus’ and Cassia’s with it.” He rubbed the side of his head, staring out into space. “Although, consider what would have happened had Grom not destroyed himself, or the temple for that matter. Arthus would likely have taken me with the Seal, he would have killed you, Grom would be his servant, and Cassia would have been miserable for the rest of her life.” He shuddered. “And Arthus would have had nothing preventing him from going through with killing Arceus.”

    Lawrence blinked, then narrowed his eyes. “That’s…right. If anything, Grom…had to die. And Cassia was just…in the wrong place.”

    Matheus grabbed Lawrence arm and said, “Don’t go thinking anything had to happen one way or another; there’s always another way.” He let go and lay on his back, setting his paws on his chest. “Although, given the circumstances…I’m not sure what that way would be.” He turned to Lawrence. “But do you feel a little better about it?”

    Lawrence shrugged with a sigh. “Not really. But at least I can understand why more.” He smiled and looked down at Matheus. “At least you’re here, Matheus.” He lay down on his blanket and turned away for sleep.

    Matheus remained on the ground for a moment, then sat upright and smiled. “Thanks.” He returned to his blanket and rested with Lawrence to be ready for their return to Saunte.

    ~~~~

    Over the next three days, Lawrence and Matheus crossed the Iren Desert once more, passing around the northern side of the Guild and into the Kaena Woods, where they passed a disturbed patch of soil, but little more of interest.

    Lawrence stopped at the fringe of the Kaena Woods, remembering it well. On the other side of the plain, he first met Cassia Gardevoir and Grom Golurk, beginning his journey across the entirety of the Serenita, now over a month ago.

    He remembered himself from that time, so concerned about being able to return home. Now he didn’t care, save for being able to see his parents again. That old, faithless self was gone. Now, the Arceist had returned.

    Matheus joined him at the fringe, following the sled tracks. He looked over to Saunte and gave it a curious look. “Awful lot of smoke coming out from there.” A giant plume hung over the center of Saunte, gathering above the massive crowd in the plaza.

    Lawrence nodded in agreement. “Think it’s safe?”

    Matheus turned to Lawrence, hefting the supply bag. “Only one way to find out.”

    They began walking down to Saunte, all while Lawrence relived the same trek, thinking only of one thing:

    “I wish Cassia was still here.”
     
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    Chapter 23: Fate
  • Chapter 23: Fate

    The ashes of evil,

    The tinders of light,

    May still burn,

    Through darkness and night.

    The Guild is mighty,

    And their leader as well,

    But even the hardest souls

    Have hearts of gold dwell.

    ~~~~

    Four days prior…

    Within a small, well-lit shack, a stack of heavy leather books settled onto a shelf, narrowly avoiding the nearby rack of glass tubes. The desk lay clear of debris, newly polished, the early morning light reflecting off it. No dust, no grime, no mess of any sort lay in the research center.

    Martre Metagross shuddered and sighed in relief. Rust sprinkled off his body and pattered to the floor, a solitary mess on the newly swept wood.

    He held a claw in front of his face, noting how neglected his iron frame was. Orange powder coated everywhere on his body except the silvery ‘X’ across his face and the claws on his legs. Twenty years of researching for Arthus, isolated from all other Pokémon, led to a lack of care toward his own appearance.

    “Well,” he thought. A set of wire brushes and a bucket of powdery liquid floated from the floor to him. A sponge rose out from the bucket and wrung itself, then splatted against Martre.

    It rubbed across the rust, then the wire brushes began scraping it away. Martre closed his eyes.

    “If Gardner’s going to leave me here, I might as well look the part.”

    ~~~~

    Outside the well-kempt command buildings at the southern end of the Iren Canyon, the families of the north end of the Guild—the former civilian district—woke up and carefully began their day. Breloom rushed through the dark alleys to trade for food, Murkrow watching their every move for their Honchkrow boss. Pokémon of diverse species all collaborated with each other, keeping in mind what happens to those that defy the Guild’s rule.

    A Sawk tread carefully through the ruins of a once-grand multi-story smithy, stepping over rusted iron tools. The forge imploded on itself and any semblance of a bedroom in the loft had long since disintegrated. Nothing remained here save for ruins.

    The Sawk stumbled and scraped against the dusty wood of the stair banister. He grumbled and wiped off his Guild band. “Trias, why are we even here?”

    An Alakazam hovered over the debris and gently lowered onto the ground. He stood up and stroked his silvery moustache, his hand brushing the silver spoons hanging from a string around his neck. “Searle, you’re aware that things have been growing worse around the region.”

    Searle pointed behind him and flicked his head to the right. “Uh, yeah. The only major city we have under control is Saunte, and—”

    “Not that,” Trias interrupted. “Far, far worse things. Have you noticed that there’s been no wild Pokemon for miles? Not even the Vikavolt at night?”

    Searle shrugged. “So what? They’ve been goin’ downhill for years.”

    “It’s worse. Remember when you took guard duty for Harish two nights ago?”

    Searle rubbed his back and groaned. “Do I ever.”

    Trias folded his fingers together. “The lights you saw….those were ghosts.”

    Searle’s eye grew wide. “Wait…all of those…were ghosts?” He shuddered and shook his head. “There were thousands of them! Where did they come from?”

    Trias closed his eyes and lowered his head. “They came from the Ythereal Swamps—and they’re hungry.”

    Searle stared up in thought, then blinked. “That’s…that’s not right. They never go out because of all the Life that’s there. Why go now?”

    “Because there’s no more Life. It’s going away.”

    “Where?”

    Trias rubbed his eyes and said, “The Tree of Life.”

    Searle stepped back, aghast. “You’ve…you’ve got to be wrong! There’s no way it’s—”

    Trias grabbed Searle’s arm, and he fell silent. “I’m not wrong. I’ve felt it coming for a long while, and now it’s here. The Day of Desolation is upon us, and Arceus is preparing Equivos for it.”

    Searle stood still, then sat down on a pile of rubble. He threw one aside and leaned his head against his arm. “Great. We’re all gonna die.” He looked up at Trias sadly. “Are you going to tell everyone else?”

    Trias folded his arms and turned away. “No.”

    Searle came to his feet and threw his arms out. “You’re just going to let them live out their lives like nothing’s happening?”

    “Yes,” Trias replied, turning back around. “Because of Arthus. He’s dead set on killing Arceus and taking his place, and if he learned that the Day of Desolation’s nearly here, that’d only serve to hasten his plans. We can’t have that.” He gestured around them. “That’s why I’m telling you here.”

    Searle rubbed his chin and sighed. “I guess you’re right, as usual.” He clenched his fist and growled. “But Arthus hasn’t been seen for weeks. It’s not like he’ll find out.”

    Trias hovered into the air with his legs crossed and ducked under the ruined entryway. “Whether or not Arthus returns, we must keep my premonition to ourselves. It is something that has been prophesied for generations; the time for change has nearly ended.”

    Searle followed him toward the light beyond the dark and disheveled buildings, beyond the dead streets of the north district. “What about everyone here? I mean, won’t there be some Pokemon who survive?”

    Trias remained silent until they breached the light of the south district. “Yes. But the prideful that make our ranks will pass.” They watched Tauros cross back and forth, guided by Machoke. Bisharp ordered Pawniard into formation. Cacturne rooted themselves on the canyon wall, keeping a watchful eye for intruders. But none except them noticed the preemptive chill in the air.

    Trias walked forward, and Searle followed. Trias only walk forward, yet everyone else seemed to flow around him, unaffected by his presence. Searle kept bumping into shoulders, struggling to keep up. Eventually, they both stood next to the Master’s Tower, where Trias bowed his head and closed his eyes.

    He looked up. “The Guildmaster has returned.”

    The gates suddenly swung outward, and all the Pokemon scrambled away to avoid being crushed. Gardner passed through the gate and growled, pointing behind him. “Go back to your kennel!” A pack of Houndoom dragging a sled rushed along the path toward a secluded corner of the Guild, barking as they went.

    Gardner huffed, then looked over at the Searle and Trias. He came up to them and growled. “Did anything happen while I was gone?”

    Trias stared at his scarred eye. “Nothing to report.” Searle shrunk away, holding ah and to cover his face.

    Gardner waved them off. “Very well. Go about your business.” The Alakazam and Sawk did so, and the Dusknoir reached for the door to the tower. He stopped. He turned around and studied the masses crossing between the scattered storehouses and dwellings, all circling the Master’s Tower. Meanwhile, to the north, few Pokémon dared to come out into the light to ruin the attitude of the south.

    Gardner shook his head. “This isn’t even worth saving.” He hovered to a secluded shed covered with metallic pipes and old lanterns. The curtains were drawn, the only sign of movement within being a loud scraping.

    Gardner knocked on the door curtly. The scraping abruptly stopped, and the door swung outward, batting Gardner across his face and pushing him out of the way. A massive, shining Metagross glowered at him, dripping with solution and remnants of rust.

    “I swear, if you’re pranking me—” He cut himself short, noticing an irritated Gardner rubbing the side of his head. Martre averted his eyes and muttered, “I…suppose I should have warned you about the door.

    “Won’t matter before long.” Gardner entered and shut the door behind him just as the main gate was also closed. He took a brief look around and wiped a finger across the desk in the center of the shack. “I see you’ve cleaned up—finally.” He rubbed his finger and returned his attention to Martre. “You look like a civilized Pokemon instead of a depraved hermit.”

    Martre’s eyes flashed. “I hope you’re here to do more than insult me.”

    Gardner crossed his arms and hovered around the desk, sitting on the edge of it. “I got to Arthus, and he managed to make Hoopa fix the Seal without releasing him.”

    “Wise move. Now we only have an insane murderer to worry about,” Martre nonchalantly said, making a basket of berries hover from the desk toward him. He psychically lifted a berry and brought it to his mouth.

    “I was there so he could have Hoopa kill me.”

    Martre choked on the berry and coughed, his metal clanking with each heave. He calmed himself and exclaimed, “He used you?”

    “Yes,” Gardner grumbled. “He managed to fool him, but he didn’t tell me beforehand. I was practically dead!” He smacked the desk and shouted, “The next time I see him, I’ll rip that precious pendant from his dead body!”

    Martre set aside the basket of berries and stomped closer to Gardner. “That’s suicide. You’re lucky he isn’t here, or he might’ve just killed you right there.”

    Gardner blinked, sliding off the desk. “Wait, he’s not back? He was only taking care of Cassia and her posse of outcasts. Why in Equivos would he not have come back?”

    “Maybe he went directly to Deitae?”

    Gardner shook his head, holding his chin. “No, that can’t be it. If he did, we would know; we’d all be dead.” A dull roar came from outside, and Gardner looked out the small window to see all the Guild Pokemon running toward the main gate, calling out for someone.

    Gardner and Martre rushed out of the room and saw the main gate thrown open, with everyone gathered around what lay in the center. The Dusknoir hovered over the crowd and bellowed, “What’s this all about?” He saw the focus and his maw hung open. “Oh.”

    ~~~~

    Minutes earlier, in the Faylen jungle, an early morning breeze passed over the remains of the Arceist temple. Trumbeak warbled once more in the surrounding canopies, flapping through the leaves in search of berries and nuts. Emolga flitted alongside them, chittering away.

    Far below, deep within the crumbled temple, the many broken bricks and statues created a compact network of narrow tunnels and caverns, each slowly collapsing from the weight above them. No light reached the lowest of the caverns, where the floor of the temple used to be. The air grew staler as dust choked the interior of the mountain.

    Within one of the few pockets that remained after the collapse, a still form stirred. Flat on his back, his claws twitched, and his eyes fluttered open. He opened ice-blue eyes and pushed up against the rocks that buried him. He emerged with a cough, then searched the darkness as his vision grew clearer.

    Arthus held his head as he rolled onto his back, then started to push himself up with his other hand. He seethed and clutched his leg, still swollen. He looked up, ignoring the blood dripping from the gashes across his body. Dust and pebbles fell from the cracks between the rocks that formed his prison.

    A blue light came from his chest, and he held up its source: The Seal of Creation, as perfect as it was when Hoopa had repaired it. “At least I still have—”

    He stopped. He dropped the Seal and studied himself. “I’m…I’m back! He’s gone! “He laughed but stopped as he realized something. “Cassia.” He groped in the darkness, crawling around in search for her. He found nothing of her.

    Arthus forced himself to stand despite his injury and held the side of his head. “Cassia! Can you hear me?” No response came as his voice echoed.

    Arthus snapped his claws, creating a small flame on the end of one. ‘I’m not leaving without her.’ He doubled over and doused the flame, clutching his chest. He soon stood again and studied his hand. “Out of Life energy,” he croaked. He looked down at his injured leg, which looked marginally better than he last remembered. The cavern shook, and Arthus froze. It soon settled, but several larger rocks fell.

    Arthus hastened his pace, crawling through the narrow passageways. He managed to get into the next room and saw a dull red glow spread across the floor.

    He set a hand on it and gasped as Life rushed into him, healing his cuts and soothing his leg. He forced himself away, retracting his arm. “Grom’s Life energy.” He looked toward another passage, limping toward it. “But Cassia.”

    The cavern shook again, and Arthus avoided the falling rocks, leaning against the wall to relieve weight from his leg. “Cassia!” he called. He made it to the next room and stopped.

    Underneath a boulder was Cassia, her back facing Arthus.

    Arthus ran to her and pushed against the boulder, grunting. It moved slightly but rolled back to its previous position. Arthus’ body glowed red as he pushed again with a roar, throwing off the boulder and slamming it against the far wall. The cavern quaked, and even larger boulders fell.

    Arthus held Cassia and supported her with his shoulder. He grit his teeth, the pain in his leg growing as he he pressed on to the exit. He looked up and saw pebbles falling and ceiling loosening above the tunnel.

    He rushed through, making it inside just as it was covered. The tunnel itself started to collapse, and a dull roar echoed through what remained of the temple as the higher levels crashed to meet the bottom.

    Arthus made it to the mouth of the tunnel and was thrust forward by the force of it collapsing. He and Cassia fell against the floor, more Life energy seeping into them. Arthus grabbed Cassia’s claw and punched into the stone with his other hand. Crimson tendrils emerged and dragged them under the earth just as the remains of the temple buried them.

    Arthus instantly felt a pull as he entered the Life network, and saw that the epicenter was a monstrous entry, sapping away the rest of the Life in Equivos and destroying what remained. Even the pathway he traveled through was deteriorating quickly—as was Cassia.

    He turned to her and saw a bright white glow fading into the stream. He pulled her closer and embraced her, protecting her Life with his own. They arced toward the surface, the tenacity of the Tree of Life nearly drawing them in.

    They emerged at the gate of the Guild, skidding against the coarse soil. Arthus groaned, pushing himself up as his vision blurred. The gate was closed.

    He crawled toward it, dragging Cassia with him as he dug into the ground to pull himself closer. His vision grew dimmer and dimmer as he knocked against the door with all his might, then passed out as it was opening. He heard the muffled voices of Pokemon surround him, then silence.

    ~~~~

    Three days later…

    Gardner waited outside a beige building, crossing his arms and bowing his head as he leaned against the wall. The other Guild Pokemon continued with their day, attempting to ignore the fact that Arthus Zoroark was in critical condition—along with his adopted daughter.

    The door opened and a Comfey drifted out, holding a small piece of paper in its hands. Gardner stood straight and turned to the Comfey. “Well?”

    The Comfey studied the paper, her flowers hanging behind her. “Arthus and Cassia will recover—barely. I’m not familiar with how Life energy works outside of Ghost types, but it seems to be helping their healing process.” She rolled up the paper and picked up her flowers again. “Still, Cassia’s suffered a nasty head injury, and Arthus’ leg looked like it was crushed. Ordinarily, I’d keep them here for at least a month, but I have no idea what will happen with Life.” She floated off and said added, “Some Ghosts will be coming by to give them more Life; I’ve noticed that they stop healing as quickly when that glow goes away.

    Gardner turned away from the Comfey and toward the door. He looked down at his hand. ‘It’s now or never.’ He clenched his fist and pushed open the door.

    In a tiny room coated in beige paint, sunlight leaked through the open window. Beds lined the opposite walls, each with white linen and soft pillows over its frame. On the tables next to them were bowls and platters, ready for their future occupants. On the wall adjacent to them, cabinets loaded with medicine and supplies surrounded the windows, hanging above a counter with a bucket of water and a set of cloths.

    Cassia slept in a bed on the far wall, lying on her back with a bandage wrapped around her head, along with others scattered around her body. Arthus was on top the bed next to her, his back turned toward Arthus. His leg was set in a cast, and he appeared still.

    Gardner rolled his arm and approached him silently. He slowed his gait, opening his maw. His hands exuded a chilling aura, and they came within inches of Arthus’ back. Gardner could almost feel Arthus’ Life seeping into his body. ‘This is for—’

    He stopped. Arthus held Cassia’s limp hand with both of his own. He studied her sorrowfully, his normally-cold eyes having a warmth that Gardner had never seen—until now.

    The Dusknoir closed his maw and dissipated the chill in his hands. He clasped them together and stared at the side of the room. He cleared his throat, and Arthus looked up at him.

    “Oh,” he said. He sat upright with a moan, letting go of Cassia’s hand and turned to face Gardner. He set his cast down gently, the hardened Ariados silk keeping it strong. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

    “…Well…I am a ghost,” Gardner replied, forcing a smile. Arthus smiled back, chuckling. Gardner’s smiled disappeared immediately after. ‘He…he never laughs…not like this.’

    Arthus wiped his nose and looked over at Cassia. “I’ve been keeping an eye on her to make sure she recovers well. I don’t think she’ll have any memory loss, or anything else really; our control of Life makes us rather durable.” He set his hand over Cassia’s and sighed. “Still…I wish this never happened in the first place.”

    Gardner sat on the bed next to Arthus’, unsure of how to react. “How did you get hurt? I don’t recall you getting a scratch since you released me…until now.”

    Arthus winced, holding his casted leg. “I managed to trap everyone inside the temple, as planned. Matheus and Lawrence proved more troublesome than expected, and right when I had them, Grom had pulled off his brace.”

    Gardner’s maw dropped. “What? That’s suicide!”

    Arthus nodded, grimacing. “Indeed. He started chasing me and began destroying the temple. I tripped, and he stepped on my leg. Cassia was in front of me trying to get his brace back on.” He closed his eyes tight. “I thought she died right there. Grom wasn’t in control of himself, sure, but I wouldn’t have hesitated to attack him if I could.”

    Gardner pointed at the Seal of Creation, which still hung from Arthus’ neck. “So you didn’t capture Matheus?”

    “No.” Arthus held it up, giving it a disapproving look. “And honestly, I want to be done with this entire business. It’s caused nothing but grief for myself and others around me.”

    “You…mean capturing Arceus?”

    Arthus dropped the Seal carelessly and rested his head on his arm. “No. I’m considering just throwing it into the sea and forgetting about it.”

    Gardner narrowed his eye and stood up, towering over Arthus. “You’re not the Arthus I know. You might look and sound like him, but you aren’t as—”

    “Callous? Temperamental? Murderous?” Arthus finished, tiredly listing them off.

    Gardner blinked, lowering himself. “Well…yes.” He rubbed his arm and stared at the ground. “It’s just…I obeyed you because you were all those things. I always feared for my life whenever something angered you, and even when you were calm, I never knew when you’d come around and nearly pull out my eye.” He sat on the bed again and rubbed his eye. “This is all so…disconcerting. I don’t know what to think.”

    Arthus sat a moment longer, then cautiously stood up and smiled. “I’m not sure what to think either.”

    Gardner uncovered his eye and cocked his head. “What changed you? Why are you suddenly so…so…” He rolled his eye and spat, “Nice? You don’t even care about the Seal anymore.”

    Arthus gently paced up the hallway, holding his hands behind his back. “This is the real me. The Arthus you’ve known was my…shadow, so to speak. He’s all my worst qualities but magnified.” He tapped his head and said, “He must’ve been driven back when the temple landed on me. I’ve no idea if he’s truly gone, but at least my mind is free of him for the time being.”

    “And how did this…shadow, come to be in the first place?”

    Arthus forced a smile, turning away. “That is a story I’m not ready to tell yet.”

    Cassia took a larger breath, shifting slightly. Arthus gestured to Gardner, then to the door. “Would you give me and Cassia some privacy? I have some things to clear up between us.”

    Gardner blinked and shook his head briefly. “Er…yes, Arthus, sir.” He stood upright and began toward the door.

    Arthus grabbed Gardner’s shoulder, causing him to turn. “Please, call me Arty.”

    Gardner only stared at him, wide-eyed. “Yes…Arty.” He broke away from Arthus’ grip and rushed out of the room. Arthus only shook his head, sitting back in his bed and holding his hands.

    Gardner burst out of the double doors and panted, holding his head. “I must be going mad—a world where Arthus isn’t waiting to kill someone? Or even use the Seal?” He grabbed his head and groaned. “This place must be getting to me. I have to get out of here.”

    He saw Martre walking toward the medical center with a pair of Lampent hovering behind him. Gardner came between them and asked, “What are you doing?”

    “Giving Arthus and Cassia more Life energy. What’s got you so wound up?” Martre asked.

    Gardner eyed the doors, then looked back at Martre. “I’m warning you now: Arthus isn’t quite right in the head.” Martre gave him a cold look. Gardner shrugged and said, “Alright, more so than usual. He’s suddenly treating others nicely and insisting on being called, ‘Arty’. He doesn’t even want to use the Seal anymore.”

    Martre stepped back, and the Lampent looked at each other with confused expressions. The Metagross clamped his teeth, then said, “He did mention having the temple collapse on him. Maybe he’s suffered a head injury?”

    Gardner humphed, moving away. “Don’t know, don’t care. I’m headed off to Saunte to deal with those idiot captains, Valder and Derak—and to clear my head. Arthus was just—” He shuddered. “Bizarre.” He hovered to the far side of the Guild, where the Houndoom had previously brought his sled into storage.

    Martre’s insides whirred for a moment as he considered the implications of Gardner’s claim. “I must evaluate him to see if he is…well, any worse than he was before.” He gingerly stepped inside, and the Lampent followed, carrying more stores of Life for the Zoroark to consume.

    ~~~~

    A Zoroark stood in blackness, still. No sound or sight crossed its path for what felt like hours. A black Golurk glowing with Life appeared, standing at attention.

    “Grom?” the Zoroark asked.

    Grom didn’t hear. The brace over his chest loosened and fell off, dropping into the black void below. The crack in his chest surged, and he crouched, leaning toward the Zoroark.

    He bounded forward, making no sound except a high-pitched whine. The Zoroark attempted to jump out of the way, but Grom diverted his path to meet it. The Golurk grabbed the Zoroark, his victim fully expecting to die from the oncoming explosion. The Golurk lowered his head and whispered five words:

    “I’ll always be with you.”

    The blackness was consumed by white, and the Zoroark awoke.

    ~~~~

    Cassia stirred under her covers. A bandage wrapped around her head, chest, and limbs, each fresh and clean. Her fur was shiny and smooth, brushed free of imperfection.

    She sat upright and gasped opening her eyes. She breathed heavily, looking around the room in confusion. “W-Where am I?” She turned to the table and noticed two brass bolts sitting next to a small bowl of Oran berries.

    She picked up one of the bolts. “…Grom…” Her eyes widened. “Lawrence?” she called. “Matheus?”

    “They aren’t here.”

    She froze.

    “They escaped before the temple collapsed. I have no idea where they went after that.”

    She knew that voice.

    “We were lucky to get out ourselves. If it weren’t for Grom—”He stopped himself. “I’m over here, just so you know.” Cassia slowly turned to face the other Zoroark. Bandages were wrapped around his chest and arms, and a sizable cast was wrapped around his leg. his fur was disheveled, and around his neck was a simple golden pendant glowing with pure blue light. “Arthus?”

    He smiled. “It looks like your memory’s intact despite the nasty hit you took.” He stood up shakily, rubbing his arm. “You would’ve been asleep for weeks if it weren’t for the Life that Martre brought it. It’s only been three days, and you’re nearly right as rain.” He winced and sat down on the bed again. “Of course, I suffered more. But we’ll both be right as rain within a few days.” He chuckled. “Oh, I forgot.” He took an Oran berry from the bowl and held it out to her.

    “Welcome home, Cassia.”
     
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    Chapter 24: Escape
  • Chapter 24: Escape

    The Priestess is taken,

    The Usurper reveals

    The weakness of self

    In his years of old.

    The prison now broken,

    The true mind commands,

    But the Usurper still lurks

    To fulfill his demands.

    ~~~~

    In the medical bay, Arthus held the Oran berry out closer to Cassia with a smile. “Aren’t you hungry?” She rolled on her either side in the bed, facing away from him.

    Arthus frowned, dropping the berry back in the bowl. “I understand if you’re upset—”

    “Upset? Upset?” Cassia turned back around and threw off the covers, then stood up and jabbed a claw at Arthus. “You tried to kill Matheus and Lawrence, and it’s thanks to you that Grom died!” She breathed in sharply, sitting back down and breathing heavily.

    Arthus stood up and reached over to her. “Careful, you’re still weak!”

    Cassia pushed him back onto his bed. “Stay away from me!” she breathlessly said.

    Arthus grimaced, clasping his hands together. Once Cassia’s breathing slowed, he said, “I…I never meant for any of this to happen. Really.”

    Cassia glanced at him coldly, then turned away. “No. I don’t believe you.”

    “This is far more complicated than—”

    “Complicated?” Cassia exclaimed. “What’s complicated about it? You tricked all of us into going to the temple, and you said exactly what you wanted to do.” She fell onto her side, her back facing Arthus. “What do you want with me? You’ve got the Seal. That’s all you cared about.”

    Arthus looked down at the necklace, then shook and tore it off his head. He threw it to the ground, the gem illuminating the air around it.

    Cassia slowly turned around and stared at the Seal, then at Arthus, perplexed. Arthus exhaled slowly, combing a hand through his mane. “I hate Arceus. There’s no changing that. He shouldn’t have let us be free to choose evil.” He slowly pointed at the Seal. “But it’s thanks to that that my life’s been ruined. I want nothing more to do with it.”

    Cassia gawked at the Seal, then at Arthus. “…Is this a trick?”

    “If I was trying to trick you, why would I use the Seal?”

    Cassia sat upright and crossed her arms. “So…so I’d trust you.”

    Arthus blinked, then turned away. “Oh.” Both stayed silent, the only sound being the activity of the Guild outside.

    Finally, Arthus turned to face Cassia. “I know why you wouldn’t trust me. I destroyed the Tome, I deceived you in the temple…and I killed your parents.” He held the side of his head. “Not to mention what I hid from you while I raised you. You had every reason to run away—and stay away.”

    Cassia leaned closer and cocked her head. “You…you’re different. You always blamed others for doing something wrong, not yourself. You even said killing was fine because you’d bring everyone back anyway.”

    Arthus grabbed the post of his bed tightly. “That wasn’t me. Not the real me, anyway.” Cassia continued to look at him in confusion.

    He groaned and held his hands. “What I’m going to say here is going to be different than anything else. I know you don’t trust me—or love me either, if I assume correctly.” Cassia went to object, but Arthus held up a claw to stop her. “Just…hear me out. Say all you want afterward…just let me have my piece.”

    Cassia stared, then reluctantly lay down on her bed and motioned for Arthus to continue.

    Arthus nodded, leaned down, and began to speak. “There is a lot more to my story, but I’m…not confident that I’ll be able to say all of it. What you must know, however, is how I gained my power over Life—and, eventually, my split personality.

    “I won’t go into detail about what lead me to seek such a thing, but I will say that I was tired of the constant suffering in the world. Even the Guild, what was the most perfect solution, failed on occasion. Towns got ransacked, Pokemon got trampled or starved. It happened far less frequently, yes, but it still happened.” Arthus grit his teeth. “It didn’t help that Matheus had gone off on his own selfish venture when things turned for the worse. I wanted to prevent that, and in a time of grief, without anyone to help, I determined that only one thing could help me: The Edge of Despair.”

    Arthus searched around for a moment, then opened the drawer to the table next to his bed. A pad of paper and a several pieces of charcoal lay inside. He took them out and briefly sketched on the paper, then held the drawing out to Cassia. It showed a rune-covered dagger with an aura about it.

    He tapped it and said, “This was a tool designed to give Pokemon control over Life. I don’t entirely know how it works, but the fuel to grant the power over Life was simple: The Life of the one you love most.”

    Cassia paled, covering her mouth. “…That’s why you killed Corrina.” Her face burned, and she shouted, “You selfish, horrible—”

    Arthus held his hands up and and exclaimed, “No! I never did it for myself! Believe me!” Cassia quieted but continued to give Arthus a cold glare.

    Arthus set aside the pad and continued, “It is a long story on how I found it and worked up the nerve to actually use it. However, on the night my son, Erik, was born, I was told that Corrina was ill—that she’d die within hours, and that nothing could be done.” Cassia lowered the sketchpad, her anger turning to anxiety.

    Arthus squeezed his hands together. “It…it was my last chance to use the Edge. Matheus was the only other one that could work, but by then…our relationship was already souring.” He sighed and pinched between his eyes. “And I doubt I could have done it anyway.”

    Cassia sat upright in disbelief. “So…that’s why you did it? Corrina was just dying anyway?”

    Arthus paused for a moment then his eyes glowed red. He growled and rubbed his eyes. “Yes…but it doesn’t change the fact that I killed her myself.”

    Cassia crossed her arms and frowned. “I know this sounds harsh, but wouldn’t have been better to…let her die?” Arthus winced, then Cassia hurriedly added, “I mean, she’d still be fine in the Tree of Life, I’m sure, but then you…” she trailed off as Arthus stared at the floor, his hands shaking.

    He held one up. “She…she would’ve been fine.” He closed his hand. “But…I wouldn’t have. I never told you this, but almost every time I’ve slept, even when I was a child, I was tortured by nightmares. They changed over the years, but I still had them. Only Matheus and Corrina knew how to help me when I wake. And with Matheus gone…” He choked up, holding a hand over his eyes. “I just…I just couldn’t live without her! Erik would’ve been without a mother, and I would’ve gone insane from my nightmares or my work at the Guild.” A tear trailed down his cheek as he uncovered his eyes. “It…It was only supposed to be temporary. She would’ve been back after I found the Seal and used it. In fact, I didn’t care if I kept Arceus after that; I just wanted Corrina back!” He sobbed, covering his face and heaving. Cassia cringed, nearly hugging him despite how she felt about him.

    After a minute of crying, Arthus forced himself to calm and wiped away his tears. “It…it wasn’t that simple. Gregorius had put a…safety feature into the Edge. Upon use, it would give the owner control over Life…but it would also awaken his shadow.”

    Cassia cocked her head. “Shadow?”

    “Yes, shadow. A Pokémon’s shadow is all their worst qualities—and, to an extent, their opposite—all bundled into one personality. Some things remain constant, such as feelings toward others, but they are blown out of proportion—especially hatred.” Arthus shuddered, holding his hands over his ears. “He came without warning. Suddenly there was another voice inside my head, always goading me to make decisions I’d never make. I resorted to speaking to myself to make sure he didn’t interrupt me mid-thought.”

    Cassia shivered as well, the very idea of her shadow spooking her. ‘All my worst qualities? What would I be like?’ She shivered again. ‘Dreadful.’

    Arthus hung his head, his eyes growing distant. “But that wasn’t the worst of it. The shadow does more than simply toss his voice into your thoughts; it tries to destroy you.” He winced, holding his head. “He…pushes his will…into my body…he tries to be…the dominant mind…” He gasped, falling to his knees.

    “Dad!” Cassia came next to Arthus and watched as Arthus grunted, clutching his head. He gently, barely shook his head, his muttering illegible. He grew louder, and he dug his claws into the wood of the floor. “Stay back…stay back!” He shot upright and screamed, his eyes wide with fright. Cassia fell onto her back, holding an arm in front of her and breathing quickly.

    Arthus twisted his arms while his pupils dilated smaller. “Idiot! Your actions will doom everyone!” He twisted around, his eyes growing larger again. “I’m trying to save their lives!” Cassia’s eyes whisked to the Seal of Creation, which sat just behind Arthus’ feet.

    Arthus twisted around again, cackling wildly. “Says the one who failed not once, but twice! You even failed to kill Matheus when you had the chance!” He screamed again, clutching his injured leg. “Because I was trying to save Cassia!”

    Cassia dove under Arthus, reaching for the Seal. He stamped on the necklace’s chain just as Cassia snatch it back, pinning it between them. He leaned down and smirked, his head jutting to the side. “Can’t have that, now, can we?” Cassia panted, pulling at the necklace, still weak from recovery.

    Arthus shook again, and he panted, grimacing. “You have to get out of here!” My shadow’s…nearly in control!” He seethed, lifting his leg and allowing Cassia to take the Seal. “Take it away! Far away! You can’t let me use it!”

    Cassia scrambled back, holding the Seal up to her chest. She stood up and swallowed hard. “What about you?”

    Arthus winced, looking up at her. “Just know that I love you, and if I had the chance—” He stiffened, and his eyes closed. “I would’ve given up…everything…for you.” He collapsed and fell still.

    Cassia looked left and right, unsure. She ran to her bed and scooped Grom’s bolts from off the side table, then made herself invisible as she opened the window. She gingerly crawled out, granting one final look at Arthus. “…I wish it didn’t have to be like this.” She ducked out and closed the window, then entered the throngs of Guild Pokemon.

    Moments after, Arthus’ eyes snapped open. He shot upright and twisted his neck, popping it. “Where did you go?” He looked under the bed and growled, his eyes glowing red. “You let her escape with the Seal!” He threw a nearby bed up, sending it crashing into another.

    He gasped, clutching his leg. He glared at it, then sat on his bed and sliced right through the silk, revealing the still-swollen limb.

    He wrapped both claws around it, then made it glow red. He clenched his teeth and seethed, “Must…get…that…girl….”

    ~~~~

    Cassia passed between the thronging Guild Pokemon, ranging from Jumpluff delivering messages to Rhydon marching to the training ground. Tauros lugged enormous carts behind them, while Lycanroc snapped at their heels to direct them. Cassia tried her best to avoid them all, but her weakness from waking combined with her invisibility made several stumbles inevitable. Several times she fell, narrowly dodging contact from another. All the while she kept the Seal of Creation tight in her grip.

    She tripped on a dip in the road and spread her arms to catch herself. Her claws grazed the back of an Alakazam in front of her, causing him to stop. Cassia scrambled up to her feet and tried to exit the crowd. The Alakazam lifted a spoon.

    Cassia restrained a yelp as she was swept off her feet and forced to dangle in the air, completely helpless. The Alakazam looked in her direction and walked into a dark alley. Cassia followed, her heart beating rapidly.

    When inside the alley, the Alakazam looked about briefly. He turned back to Cassia’s direction. “Show yourself.”

    Cassia hid the Seal behind her back and let out a shuddering breath. Her illusion dissolved, and the graying Alakazam shook his head. “You shouldn’t have come back.” He lowered Cassia back to the ground.

    She waved her free hand and said, “No, please, don’t say—”

    “What’s behind your back?” The Alakazam grabbed a spoon hanging from his neck and made his eyes glow blue. Cassia’s other hand shot out from behind her back and revealed the Seal.

    The Alakazam stepped back and dropped the spoon, aghast. “How in Equivos did you get that away from Arthus?” he hoarsely said. Before she could reply, he pushed her against the wall. A pair of Heracross passed by the entrance to the alleyway, not noticing them.

    The Alakazam let go of Cassia and looked out the alley. “As much as I want to hear your story, this isn’t the place.” He turned back to her. “I’ll take you to my home. You can tell me everything there.” He grimaced and pointed at the bandages layering her body. “And I can help you heal.”

    Cassia shuffled back, holding the Seal close. “How do I know I can trust you?”

    The Alakazam looked over his shoulder, then pulled down his armband, revealing a weathered, folded piece of paper. He took it out and unfolded it, revealing a younger version of him standing with a Lucario, Electivire, Gothitelle, Conkeldurr and Blissey, all in front of the Master’s Tower.

    As Cassia studied it, the Alakazam said, “I am Trias, Guildmaster Calem’s former advisor.”

    ~~~~

    In a dilapidated house in the corner of the Guild, a smug Sawk chopped fresh lettuce on a chipped countertop, humming merrily. No doors lead in or out of the room save for the main entrance. A bunk bed sagged in the corner, and the kitchen that the Sawk worked within set a stove and washbasin next to each other. On the other side of the room was a table with several stacks of ragged cards, a stuffed chair with a rickety wooden one next to it, and a great window granting a view to the entire rest of the guild. A skylight above allowed the sun to peek out and illuminate the room.

    The Sawk scooped the lettuce off the cutting board and plopped it into a bowl. He held it up and plucked some grape tomatoes out of a basket, then tossed them in the bowl. He then drizzled a bottle of viscous white sauce over it.

    He chuckled and pulled open a drawer. “I love Tapu’s Days.” He pulled out a fork and hopped over to the bunk, then slung himself onto the top and set the bowl on his lap. “Ma always said to eat my greens—and boy, do I!” He stabbed into the salad and held the bite up to his mouth, sighing.

    The door opened, causing the Sawk to lower the fork and frown. Trias hurriedly walked in and waved, a smile plastered on his face. “Afternoon, Searle! I see you’re having your weekly salad bowl.”

    Searle’s eyes flitted between Trias and the bowl. “Uh…yeah.”

    Trias drew the curtains across the window overseeing the Guild, then promptly closed the door. He stroked his silvery mustache and said, “Would you happen to have a problem with…a guest coming over?”

    Searle shrugged and lifted the fork again. “Nobody comes over, so why not?”

    Trias nodded sagely and flicked his head forward. “Go ahead.” The air behind Trias shimmered, then revealed a bandaged-up Zoroark with bright blue eyes sheepishly holding her hands behind her back.

    Searle’s jaw dropped, then his fork. He scooted back in the bed, leaving the bowl to tip over and drench the covers in ranch. “I-It’s you! You nearly killed me!” He focused on Trias and jabbed a finger at Cassia. “What is she doing here?

    Trias held up his hands and said, “Easy, Searle. She’s on the run from Arthus, and she happened to take something we’ve been after for a long time.”

    Searle eyed her suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

    Trias gestured to Cassia. “I mean this.” She held up the Seal of Creation, its perfect gem shining bright.

    “What?” Searle shot upright, only to knock his head against the ceiling. He groaned and held it, seething. “How did she get it?”

    Trias waved down quickly. “Just come down and talk to her, she won’t bite.” Searle cautiously crawled around the spilled salad and climbed down the ladder. He kept his palms straight and ready for attack.

    Cassia lowered the Seal and held her hands behind her back. “Thanks…thanks for telling me about Arthus…about who he really was.”

    Searle blinked and lowered his hands. “…Really? Weren’t you upset?”

    Trias came over to him and set a hand on his shoulder. “Searle, if she didn’t come to us that day, she wouldn’t have spread Arceus’ words across the region as she did. Without her, all of Equivos would be lost.”

    Searle paused a moment, then rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. “Well…that’s true.” He shrugged and slowly let out his breath. “I guess we’re good then. Sorry I put it so rudely before, but I wasn’t in the best mood then.”

    Trias patted Searle’s arm and said, “He got his arm broken by Gardner as punishment for tampering with the tax records of a poor family of Dragonite.” He stopped and looked over Cassia again, remembering her bandages. “Gracious, I’ve had you walk the entire way here and not even offer hospitality.” He turned to Searle and pointed at the door. “Would you mind getting a bag of Sitrus and Oran berries from the warehouse? She is still recovering from some terrible injuries.”

    Searle looked at Cassia up and down and nodded in agreement. He came close to Trias and muttered, “Fill me in on the Seal.” He jogged out of the room and into the Guild, careful to swiftly close the door.

    Trias motioned to the cushioned chair. “Go on, sit.”

    Cassia did so, her tired limbs aching. “Can we trust him?”

    Trias promptly nodded and dug through the cabinets underneath the counter. “Searle might be rash at times, but he is as loyal as can be.”

    She looked around for a moment, then furrowed her brow. “What do you do in the Guild, anyway?”

    Trias pulled out a collection of small bottles and began swirling them, inspecting their contents. “I now work as the treasurer for the Guild. I know everything there is to now about finances.” He gave Cassia a hopeless look. “And what a boring subject it is.”

    Cassia picked at a loose thread in the armchair. “So, you’re pretty high-ranking then?”

    “What are you implying?” Trias replied, closing his hand over a bottle.

    Cassia gestured to the room around her. “This just isn’t very…nice.” She cringed and shrunk into the couch. “Sorry, that was rude.”

    “Say no more, say no more.” Trias took a rag from under the counter, came to Cassia, then sat on his knees, uncorking the bottle. “Even for my humble tastes, this is a rather sorry place to live.” He looked up and sighed. “How grand this Guild used to be. Now it is barely a shadow of its former self.”

    Cassia leaned her head against her hand and said, “I thought that since the Guild was taking everything that they’d use it to make their lives better. I guess I was wrong.”

    “The fools who do the taking don’t use it responsibly, that’s why.” Trias dabbed the contents of the bottle on the rag. “They burn the art and woodwork, gobble the food and drink.” He corked the bottle and slammed it on the floor. “And desecrate everything else.”

    “How did you avoid Arthus when he…massacred, everyone?” Cassia struggled to say such things, now that she knew his true nature.

    Trias gave her a suspicious look, then said, “As you may know, Alakazam such as myself are extremely intelligent. My kind strive to constantly learn so we can keep our minds sharp, and that often leads to reading—and a lot of it.” He held up the rag and said, “Would you mind if you took off your bandages?” Cassia began doing so gratefully; they had grown very irritating against her skin.

    Trias continued. “I’ve always been an avid reader—even when I was an Abra—but the one book I constantly returned to was the Arceist Tome.”

    Cassia tore the bandage off her head and smiled. “You read the Tome?”

    Trias nodded. “Indeed, I can quote the entire book by memory!” He twisted his mustache and looked up wistfully. “But it isn’t as satisfying as reading it personally and experiencing the…peace, it has within its pages.”

    Cassia took a deep breath and lay her head on the back of the couch. “I feel the same way.”

    Trias looked back down and held the rag close to Cassia’s leg. “Would you mind if I used this? It has healing properties.” Cassia nodded quickly, and as Trias rubbed her bruised limbs with it, he said, “There was another skill I learned: healing. I’m quite the herbalist, you know.” He shook his head. “Anyway, back to how I’m still here. While reading from the Tome about a year before Arthus returned, I began making connections with the events prophesied and the present time: weather patterns, rumors, the like. The unusual events that year all began to come together, and I knew that the final age was coming for Equivos. So, naturally, I tried to warn Calem.” He stopped, continuing to apply his solution on Cassia.

    Cassia shifted slightly, unused to such contact. “What happened?”

    He sighed and lowered the rag. “As honorable a Pokemon Calem was—bless his soul—he was very stubborn. He didn’t believe Arthus really existed, let alone that he was coming within a year. Despite my pleas, he ignored me, even if he listened to my advice otherwise.”

    Cassia curled her finger around a length of her mane. “I’m sorry for what happened.”

    Trias waved a hand and continued his application. “Don’t be. You had nothing to do with it; Yveltal was set to come forth at one particular time, one that none could change.” He uncorked the bottle and spread more across the rag. “When the storms hit Serenita, I teleported to my meditation cave in Xilo, and I hid for over a week as I watched Arthus from afar and saw how I could trick him. I introduced myself as a new Pokemon, and I got instated as Treasurer, with Searle as my assistant.” He lowered his head as he rubbed the solution along Cassia’s arms. “I wasn’t sure that I could. Calem was a dear friend, along with many other Pokemon in the Guild. But I knew that I would be needed to help however I could.” He dwelled on that for a moment, then faced Cassia. “But enough about me. I want to know how you got the Seal out of Arthus’ clutches—and how you ended up in such a terrible state.”

    Cassia hesitantly recounted what had happened within the Arceist Temple and what occurred in the medical bay. She highlighted Arthus’ transformation of personality, and how he may not be the Pokemon he appears to be. Trias finished applying his solution on Cassia and had since put away the bottle. He paced around the room and stroked his mustache in thought. Cassia felt heavy and drained as she considered all that had happened to her—such as the loss of Grom.

    When she finished, Trias stopped and held his hands behind his back. “So…Arthus is of two minds…literally.” He closed his eyes and tapped his fingers together. “This makes sense. In the few records that remain from Arthus’ time period, he was described as suffering a sudden change of personality in times of stress or anger. This ‘shadow’ must have taken over at some point and refused the real Arthus any control.” He pointed at the Seal laying on Cassia’s lap. “We can’t allow him to have that. Despite the diminishing Life supply, he can still travel to Deitae and take Arceus’ power. Once you have your strength back, you have to go.”

    “But how?” Cassia asked, shakily coming to her feet. “I have nowhere to go and I have no idea where my friends are if they survived!” She held a hand over her face and sighed, “I can’t even finish teaching about Arceus without a Tome.”

    Trias stopped tapping his fingers. “You need a copy of the Tome?” She nodded.

    He considered for a moment, then said, “I have access to one.”

    “Really?” Cassia ran up to him and said, “Where is it?”

    Trias paced away and bowed his head. “As treasurer of the Guild, I have permission to access the vault to keep track of its inventory, including rare artifacts. Gardner had secured another copy of the Tome to be studied by Martre, but when he found nothing of use, he had it stored away. I read it when I do my daily rounds, so it won’t be much issue to give it to you.”

    Cassia gave Trias a brief hug. “Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!”

    The Alakazam regained his composure and cleared his throat. “However, the vault is within the Master’s Tower, and given that Arthus has likely brought the Guild into high alert to find you and the Seal, that may prove difficult.”

    Cassia wrapped the Seal’s chain around her wrist and kept it tight. “I can hide us both when we go for it, then I can head straight for Saunte afterward. Sound good?”

    The door burst open and Searle rushed in, holding a satchel next to him. He closed the door and shouted, “Better get going quick! Arthus is going to turn every house inside out before long!”

    Trias snatched a spoon around his neck and caused the satchel to fly from Searle’s hand into Cassia’s. “Eat quickly. There’s no telling how long we have before Arthus comes.”

    Cassia looked inside and saw two bags of berries. She opened one and started eating the Oran berries inside, her strength gradually returning to her. All the while, the joy of obtaining a new Arceist Tome, the sadness of her losses, and the fear of Arthus’ shadow conflicted with each other.

    ~~~~

    All throughout the Guild, Pokemon of all shapes and sizes searched for Cassia and the stolen Seal of Creation. Lycanroc and Mightyena tracked her scent, Murkrow flew above, and there were constant checks given to Pokemon entering or exiting their homes to ensure that, disguised or not, Cassia would be found.

    Cassia crept through the pacing crowds of Pokemon as Trias hovered overhead, both completely invisible. Searle paced ahead casually, taking occasional glances above and behind him. Cassia and Trias made way to the Master’s Tower as Searle marched on to the main gate.

    Cassia froze as a Lycanroc squeezed by her, constantly sniffing the ground. It walked away, not seeming to notice her. Cassia stared at it curiously. ‘How didn’t he smell me?’

    ‘My healing solution masks your scent as well—at least with how liberally I used it.’

    Cassia looked up at him in surprise. Before she could say anything, he thought, ‘It’s not impossible for psychics to breach a Dark Pokémon’s immunity; it is only very difficult, hence why I have yet to stand up against Arthus.’ He pointed ahead with a spoon. ‘Stand near the entrance and wait for my signal.’

    She made it to the doorway of the tower, which had echoing clangs emanating from it. Trias hovered higher and looked through the window. He held his hand out for Cassia to stop.

    The door swung open and Martre tromped out in a huff. “Curse Arthus for his irresponsibility.” He soon melted into the crowd.

    Cassia caught the door as it closed and looked up at Trias. He gave a nod and brought himself down. They both slipped into the tower.

    Cassia cast away their invisibility as Trias locked the door. The stairs ascended immediately in front of them while a small hallway wrapped to their left. Trias cautiously stepped into it and thought to Cassia, ‘The vault is just down here.’ She followed.

    At the end of the hallway was a square iron door set with five dials, all with a ‘0’ above them. Trias held his spoon forward and made the dials spin, finally setting them to ‘9-4-3-1-5’. The vault clicked and had a panel slide back, revealing a key-shaped hole. Trias stuck his spoon inside it and thought, “I would ordinarily request for Gardner to open it, but I know how to lock-pick with my powers.’ The inside of the lock clicked, and the door swung outward.

    Cassia peeked inside, expecting to see overflowing piles of coins. Instead, scant bags of gold remained, alongside various weapons and scrolls. At the back of the dark inside of the vault was a gold-colored gate. Beyond it was a vast array of artifacts—along with a familiar book.

    Trias stopped next to the gate and held his spoon up to the lock, but then stopped. He stepped back from the gate. ‘This metal blocks telekinetic abilities; I can’t affect it.’

    Cassia stood in front of the gate. ‘I have a way.’ She held onto the bars and willed Life into her hands. They radiated with energy and made the bars glow red. She grunted and pushed away, and the heat emanating from her hands softened the bars. They pushed apart, allowing enough room for her to cross through.

    She carefully stepped inside, studying the items on the shelves. A wide array of weapons, jars, and other artifacts resided within, all with some vicious aura surrounding them. But she wasn’t focused on those. She cared only for the most important object in the room: the final copy of the Arceist Tome.

    Cassia gingerly picked it up, the arc emblazoned on the cover seeming to glow in the dim light. She smiled and held it tight against her chest. She stared at the shelf it sat on, then at the object covered with a white sheet. Curious, she peeked underneath. Her eyes widened, then she uncovered it completely, revealing the Prison Bottle, the eyes on its cap glowing dimly.

    Trias noticed and thought, ‘Best leave that be, Cassia. Gardner had that secured in here after you and Arthus returned.’ He shuddered. ‘Hoopa is even more dangerous now that Arthus had managed to trick him.’

    She stepped as if to leave but gravitated back to the bottle. ‘Trias…I feel like I need it.’

    ‘Why? He won’t listen to reason, and anything he could grant would come at a severe price.’

    Cassia paused, unsure of what to do.

    My servant is needed. Take him.

    Without hesitation, Cassia took the sheet and wrapped the neck of the bottle in it, negating the vile voice within. She set the bottle next to the Tome, still wrapped in the cloth. ‘I feel as if…Arceus, needs it. Maybe he needs Hoopa to do something for him?’

    Trias sighed and started to turn back. ‘Better it’s out of the Guild’s—’ He froze.

    Martre hovered at the door of the vault, his eyes glowing brightly. “Wrong move, Trias.” The door slammed shut and whirred as it locked.

    “No!” Cassia and Trias cried, both running to the door. Cassia beat against it with her hands while Trias attempted to undo the locks, but both were to no avail. Martre’s muffled shouts came from outside.

    Trias strained against the bolts, but dropped both his arms and said, “It’s useless. Martre’s restricting the bolts and door with his own powers.”

    Cassia breathed quickly as she searched for some way out. She beat against the walls of the vault scraping away the gold and scrolls on them. The vault made no echoing clangs, unlike the door itself.

    Cassia stopped and considered it. “Trias, what’s behind this wall?”

    “Nothing except the outside,” Trias said, closing his eyes. They snapped back open. “Of course!” He held up both his spoons and focused on a single point on the wall. His eyes glowed blue, and the point started to bulge outward. Sweat beaded across Trias’ brow and his hands shook as the wall continued to push outward.

    Cassia noticed the strain and grabbed Trias’ shoulder. Life flowed from her into Trias, filling him with power. He bellowed and slammed the spoons together, sending a psychic surge into the wall. It stretched into a large hole, revealing the dusty exterior of the Guild. Dust and broken bricks littered the ground in front of them, yet no Pokemon seemed to be visible.

    Trias fell to his knees and let his spoons fall. He breathed haggardly as he looked up at Cassia. “Go.” Voices rose beyond the vault as they moved toward the outside.

    Cassia stooped and helped Trias back to his feet. “You can’t stay here; they’ll kill you!”

    Trias broke from her grip and pointed at her bag. “You have to carry the Seal as far away from here as possible! My life isn’t worth that!” He wearily picked up his spoons and crossed them against his chest. “Now go, before they can see you!” Shadows raced toward the vault opening.

    Cassia groaned and turned invisible just as Martre and a mass of Lycanroc and Mightyena surrounded the exit. He burst into the hole and quickly looked left and right. He came up to Trias and stared him down. “Where is she?”

    Trias’ eyes glowed. “Gone.” He roared and sent out a burst of bright violet energy toward Martre.

    Martre dug his feet into the iron and sent out his own burst, and the two clashed, pushing against each other. As the clash continued, Trias’ spoons began to bend, while the cross on Martre’s face shined.

    Martre forcefully stepped closer and said in struggling tones, “You’re foolish…brash…and most of all…” He punched Trias across the chest and made him crumple. His psychic burst immediately dissolved, allowing Martre’s to engulf him and scaled his skin.

    He screamed as Martre punched him over his head and crushed his chest with another leg. He leaned down and made Trias’ squinted eye level to his. “You were always the weak link.” He raised a leg and made the claws glow yellow.

    “Get away from him!” Cassia reappeared from the darkness and leapt on top of Martre. He stumbled back and roared, struggling to reach her. She clawed forward and slashed Martre across his eyes, making him scream in agony and clamp his legs over them.

    The Lycanroc and Mightyena snarled and leapt after her, fangs bared. She dodged each one and scratched each one, making their Life stream to her in gaseous red strings. They fell to the ground and shivered, left with only enough to survive.

    With her foes defeated, Cassia fell next to Trias and lifted his head. She cringed and said, “I—I should have done something sooner, but I—”

    Trias lifted a burned hand, stopping her. He forced a smile. “Martre is…” He stared at the still-screaming Metagross. “…was…a powerful…opponent…you stood little chance…head on.” He held on to Cassia’s hand. “Leave now…before Arthus comes.” He coughed weakly as his eyes lowered. “Arceus…be with you.” He breathed out a final time.

    Cassia cringed as tears came to her eyes, but shouts from the outside caused her to regain her composure. She turned invisible once more and sprinted out of the vault and toward the gate, leaving the other Guild Pokemon in the dust.

    Searle leaned against the gate impatiently, staring at the Tower. “I hope they’re alright…” He felt someone grab his hand.

    He yelped and scrambled away. “Gah! You’re here!”

    Cassia briefly appeared. “Hurry! Get the door open!”

    As she disappeared, Searle squinted his eyes and said, “Where’s Trias?”

    He felt a push against his shoulder. “Just do it!”

    Searle pushed against the door with Cassia’s help and said, “Alright, alright! You can tell me later!” The gate opened just wide enough for them to slip into the outside.

    Both ran toward the deadened tree just outside the gate. Cassia reappeared and started to run down the path to the tree’s right.

    Searle stopped next to the tree and yelled, “Where are you going?”

    Cassia came to a stop and said, “I’m going to Saunte, where else?”

    Searle groaned and pointed to the tree. “This is the way! There’s a big Life Deposit here just waiting to be used!”

    Cassia ran back to him and tugged at his arm. “I can’t go that way!”

    Searle tugged back. “Why?”

    “I never learned, that’s why!” Cassia cried.

    “What?” Searle pulled them both back and caused Cassia to stumble and fall next to the tree, causing the contents of her bag to be visible.

    She coughed, and Searle rubbed pinched the bridge of his crest. “Augh, I should’ve seen this coming.” He knelt next to Cassia and pointed at the base of the tree. “I saw Arthus do this sometimes while I was on guard duty. All you have to do is put your hand in the ground and sort of…hitch a ride, I guess, then just get off at the deposit you want to.” Shouts rose up over the wall, causing Searle to turn back. “Better be quick, or else—”

    He gasped, falling back. A shimmer appeared behind him and darkened into a Zoroark, breathing haggardly and burying his claws into Searle’s back.

    Cassia gasped and scrambled back, focused on the Sawk. “Searle!”

    Arthus tossed him aside and grinned maliciously, crouching low. “Disobedience only leads to Pokemon getting hurt, Cassia.” He held his claws out, shaking like the rest of him. “Give. Me. The. Seal.

    Cassia briefly turned to the bag, then to the ground. “You told me to take it away.” She dug her claws into the ground and forced Life into it. “And you won’t stop me!” Giant red tendrils rose up around her and threatened to engulf her.

    Arthus roared and snatched the revealed Seal from Cassia’s bag. She managed to grab hold of the chain as it flew through the air, and the two fought to keep hold of it as Cassia was being forced into the ground by the crimson tendrils. The veins in Arthus’ arm bulged as he was dragged forward by Cassia. She grit her teeth as she slowly pulled it forward.

    The tendrils collapsed over the chain and broke Cassia’s grip, fully enclosing her in its trap. Her wail was cut off as she became a beam of red light and surged to the east.

    Arthus breathed heavily, then smiled as he held the Seal up to his face. “Finally.” His eyes widened as he realized his mistake. “No…Cassia!” He pulled at his mane and screamed, “Not now! Not now!” He dug his claws into the ground to follow Cassia, but no tendrils rose up to meet his call.

    He shook and stared at the deadened tree. “Curse Arceus…” He stood up. His shoulders tensed. “This is all your fault!” He punched the tree with such great force that it instantly turned to splinters at his feet.

    He seethed as he lowered the Seal around his neck. “No matter…even if she is taken by you, I’ll bring her back.” He ran across the rest of the canyon and to the south, his ice-colored eyes burning.

    “I’m only one deposit away from taking your place.”

    ~~~~

    In the Revenant Forest, the enormous guardian Trevenant looked beyond his domain and toward the southern sea. Dark clouds roiled in the distance, booming and flashing as the tumbled toward the mainland. The spindly trees rustled in the chilling wind, and the Phantump ducked underneath his branches.

    Hanging from his head was a small hut, where the Buneary children lay nestled, fearing the worst. With his Life, the Trevenant kept them warm, and fed his Phantump with it as well. Despite the world growing darker, he remained a light for their young lives.

    The Trevenant rumbled. “Desolation shall soon come.” The soil churned beneath him. “Yveltal will descend.” His roots rose up, groaning as they lifted the Trevenant. “I must protect the next generation.” With giant, lumbering steps, he made way to the coastline, his Phantump children following his footsteps. Other ghosts of all sorts followed as well, sustained by his vast well of Life.

    The Trevenant looked to the east. “I shall return, Creator. As will the children of Equivos.”
     
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    Chapter 25: Reunion
  • Chapter 25: Reunion

    Loss affects all,

    But some even more,

    Despite the faith and trust

    They may hold dear.

    Yet all will be well

    After this time of woe,

    For soon Arceus will come

    And return his children to him.

    ~~~~

    Cassia coursed through the spidery veins of Life, completely terrified by the scene before her. Crimson threads all interwove within each other in a vast blackness, all joining together at a maelstrom of Life, constantly pulsing in the utter darkness. But as she traveled, the Life unraveled, leaving fewer and fewer threads to travel through—including her own.

    She felt the constant pull of the maelstrom to bring her closer, the light within her core throbbing in response. She struggled to keep her mind focused on finding a means to escape, but the threat of the maelstrom was ever-present in her mind as she traveled eastward.

    She saw the vein she traveled through branch off to different points of light, all fading gradually. ‘Where do I go, where do I go?’ she pleaded, completely within the network.

    There.

    Her eyes snapped to a point of light above her. Its channel was soon approaching and would soon unravel by the disintegrating stream Cassia traveled through.

    Left with no other clues, Cassia willed herself up into the stream and into the dot of light. She shot into it just as the light died.

    She erupted from the ground and gasped for air. She crawled out from the soil and lay on her chest, completely worn from the ordeal. As her mind grew clearer, she recognized the environment to be the fringe of the West Kaena Woods…yet it wasn’t.

    Even well into the autumn, Cassia had never heard the air so still. The trees were all bare of leaves, yet no musty scent accompanied them. No apples or berries were present, no wild Pokemon rushing past. All was lifeless and grey, just like the overcast sky.

    The Minute Plains stretched in front of Cassia and resting in the center was the familiar city of Saunte. Smoke billowed from throughout the city, and light flashed alongside the cries of Pokemon. The grass—bright only several weeks ago—was dull and pale. No wind blew, allowing a foul odor of sickness linger. Autumn hadn’t yet ended, yet the season felt it had.

    Cassia rolled onto her back and forced herself upright. She felt too tired for much else. All she could do was rest.

    She opened her bag and reached for the remaining bag of berries but stopped. The clean leather cover of the Tome caught her attention and held it. Her mind filled with recent events, and a heavy weight set in her chest.

    She reached deeper into the bag and retrieved two worn, brass bolts. She covered them and closed her eyes. ‘Grom…’ Her memories of the Golurk came rushing back, from their first meeting, to his ultimate demise. ‘He…he was always there for me…’ Her hands shook. ‘But now…he’s gone…’ A tear trailed down her cheek. ‘Just like Arianne.’ She held her hands up to her face. ‘Dad is out of control…I’ve lost Matheus and Lawrence…and Trias and Searle died protecting me.’

    Grom’s bolts fell from her hands. ‘And now…I’m alone. Completely alone.’ She sobbed and pulled at her mane. ‘I…I could’ve saved them. If I had gone with her…if I had put back his brace…if I wasn’t so unsure.’

    A connection formed in her mind. She looked up at the blank, grey sky. “Arceus…why? Why did they have to die? Why did Dad have to change, why did I lose Matheus and Lawrence? I’ve devoted my life to you…and here I am…” She stared at the bolts on the ground. “Alone.” She picked them back up and held them close to her chest. ‘I’ve saved so many…’ She lowered them back into the bag. ‘But I can never save the Pokemon I love.’

    She kept crying for the next few minutes, caught in hopelessness. She felt nothing could bring her out of this pit of misery and loneliness—not even Arceus.

    A glow emanated from inside the bag. Cassia wiped away her tears and peered inside, curious. The pages of the Arceist Tome glowed with golden light, so brightly that Cassia squinted.

    She took the Tome out of the bag, and the light dulled. The light gathered into a single point in the pages, then crept into the air, becoming a familiar wisp of light. It swirled in the air, coming level with Cassia’s eyes. She studied it, entranced.

    The wisp pointed at the book and dove between the pages. Cassia blinked and opened the Tome, flipping to the page. ‘Where are you taking me?’ she thought. She came to the page where the wisp resided, and she read the passage it highlighted with itself:

    Pokemon that bear knowledge, emotion and willpower have power to choose evil as much as good. The consequences of any choice affect not just those who make the decision, but those who are directly affected. Evil subjects my creations to pain of all types, and that cannot be changed.

    The wisp shot in between the pages once more, and Cassia followed, gathering an idea of what it was. ‘Arceus?’ She turned to the passage it landed on:

    But I, Arceus, sorrow with those afflicted by others, no matter their pain. I wish only for joy amongst my creations, but the unrighteous desires of the world taint their lives.

    The wisp moved once more, and Cassia began to realize what it was doing.

    Do not think I am not present in your doings. I ensure that no pain is too great and no trial too daunting. Many are lost to the darkness of the world, but those who follow me are saved in the Tree of Life, returned to their loved ones and awaiting those yet to come.

    The wisp moved once more, but before Cassia turned to the page, she considered the words it had shown her. ‘When I felt this way before, there was always someone to help me—Matheus, Arianne, Grom, even Lawrence.’ She rubbed her eyes. ‘They always said I was a good Pokemon, that I did nothing wrong….that I mattered to them.’ She set her claws between the pages the light defined. ‘I always felt better after they said those things…but…do I need them to know that those words are true?’

    She opened the pages and beheld a magnificent work of art depicting Arceus enveloping a Sandslash in hundreds of threads of light. The Sandslash sat behind the body of a young Sand shrew, and tears could be seen on the Sandslash’s face.

    Cassia set a hand against the wisps surrounding the Sandslash, suddenly feeling ashamed. ‘Arceus inspired them to help me. I could never have changed Grom before without him. Arianne would have died alone if Matheus hadn’t taken me to her. Trias and Searle…well, I didn’t know them for long, but at least Trias was content.’

    The wisp circled the words accompanying the image, and as Cassia read them, the weight in her chest grew lighter and lighter.

    Light cannot be seen without darkness to contrast it. Push is known with pull, and good is known from evil. Just as all of these, joy can never be known without despair. As surely as Pokemon will bear the consequences of others, so will they experience my blessings and the joy they bring.

    Know now that you are never alone. I am always present, always listening; whatever trial you may be facing, I will always assist when you call on my name. My arms stretch across the whole of Equivos, touching upon Pokémon’s lives and making them for the better.

    The wisp faded. Cassia studied the words, her smile broadening with every pass. She looked up toward the sun, which now shone through the overcast clouds. ‘I made Grom and Arianne feel joy in the time I knew them—and now they’ve returned to Arceus and the Pokemon they love.’

    She closed the book and stood up, holding it close to her chest. ‘Arceus has always been with me, even as a Zorua! He showed me the light and brought me out of darkness! He helped me show others his light!”

    She swung her bag over her shoulders and set the Tome within. ‘Arianne and Grom are always with me, just like Arceus! I am never alone!’ She ran down the hill toward the smoking city of Saunte. ‘I will find Lawrence and Matheus again, even if I have to go across Equivos all over again!’

    She neared the walls of Saunte, and she narrowed her eyes. ‘And I will bring back the real Arthus.’

    She stopped at the edge of Saunte and coughed, the smoke filling her nose. The buildings crumbled, and bodies littered the streets. Cries and screams echoed from the center of town, alongside the roars of a certain Guildmaster.

    The plume of smoke passed, and Cassia instinctively reached into her bag. Panic flashed across her face as she realized something. “My mask! It’s still in the temple!” She considered what she’d do, but the peace she experienced before soon returned. She stood straight and secured the bag over her shoulder. “No…I don’t need it.’ She turned invisible and ran through the streets, one thought repeating in her mind: ‘I am Cassia Zoroark, daughter of Arthus Zoroark and priestess of Arceus. Arceus is with me, no matter how I appear!’

    She ran through the alleyways and climbed up a stone tower near the plaza. At the top, she saw hundreds of Pokemon crowded together below her with dozens of Guild Pokemon keeping them back. Gardner Dusknoir stood in front of the now-destroyed castle that stood in the center of Saunte, and a certain Rhyperior and Feraligatr lay on the ground in front of him, scrambling away from him. Both were badly wounded, unlike Gardner, who remained free of injury.

    Gardner’s fist rumbled with electricity as he approached them, his scarred eye glowing fiercely. “An entire city destroyed by your antics! I should have killed you long ago!”

    Derak Feraligatr came to his feet and backed away, holding his wounded shoulder. “I-I-It ain’t our fault! Nobody listened to us!”

    “Liars!” Gardner puffed into violet gas and surged toward them, a glowing fist within the center of the cloud. Valder and Derak both screeched and shot into the open door of a shack and slammed it shut. Gardner funneled into it and made the entire shack shake, along with making Valder and Derak scream further. It fell still and quiet, just like the remaining population of Saunte.

    The cloud streamed back out and formed into Gardner. He rolled his neck and returned to the plaza. “Now with them taken care of, it’s time to bring this place back to order.” He paced in front of them and held his hands behind his back. “I have obviously grown soft to allow such idiots manage this place, but no longer! I will personally command the Guild here in Saunte and make it worthy of being the new Guild headquarters!”

    “But what about us?” a certain Simisear cried.

    Gardner searched the crowd for him, but to no avail. He held two fingers in front of his eye. “Either you’re with me.” He pinched them together. “Or you’re dead.”

    Amidst the horrified gasps, a red ball of light gathered at the top of the tower. Gardner looked up and his maw dropped. “Arthus!” The Life Sphere shot toward him, threatening to consume him. The Dusknoir rolled to his right and watched the sphere bash through the castle and create a sizable hole through the solid stone.

    All looked up to see a Zoroark standing at the top with a single hand extended. It leapt from the tower onto the roof of another house, then down another, and yet one more, until it finally leapt in front of Gardner and towered over him.

    Gardner’s brow furrowed as he stood level with the Zoroark. “You.”

    She leaned forward and said, “Leave. Now.”

    Gardner reared back his head and laughed, much to Saunte’s confusion. He whirled on Cassia and swatted her away, then crossed his arms and said, “I don’t listen to the brat that scarred me for life!” He pointed at the jagged white scar across his eye and added, “Not to mention Arthus’ traitorous whelp!”

    Saunte instantly murmured about Cassia’s identity, but she ignored them and stood straight, unfazed by Gardner’s blow. “Enough is enough, Gardner! You’ve ruined Pokémon’s lives for too long!”

    Gardner slowly approached her, cracking his knuckles. “What, because I wiped those lying Arceists off the face of the earth? Because I burned all your precious Arceist Tomes?”

    Cassia backed away, her claws glowing red. “Hate only leads to more hate. History repeats itself because Pokemon like you refuse to change.”

    Gardner stiffened. Violet mist surrounded him. “So that’s it…hate.” He quaked as the mist grew larger. “I was imprisoned for over a decade…for snuffing out the children of the ghosts that tortured me. The ghosts that killed my guardians, the ghosts that nearly starved me. I scraped my way out, only for them to try and steal my success.” A pitch-black ball of electricity grew in his palm. “And you expect me to let weaker Pokemon conquer me?” He aimed the sphere at Cassia and spat, “There’s only room for one law: mine!” The sphere shot toward Cassia.

    She ducked under it and ran forward, leaving the sphere to explode on a ruined shop and make it explode, causing Saunte to cry out in fear. She met Gardner head on and slashed across his chest. He melted into mist just as she struck and formed around her head, causing her to cough and wheeze.

    A glowing fist thrust toward her face. She ducked once more and took in breaths of clean air. He dove toward her again, but she rolled across and shot a Life Sphere into the cloud. He screamed and spiraled back into the form, crackling with red electricity. Cassia leapt up to strike him, her eyes glowing red.

    Gardner swung a left hook and clipped Cassia across her jaw, sending her into the roof of a tavern. Gardner hovered toward her and sent another punch toward her head. She twisted out of reach and made Gardner punch into the roof. He swung again with the same result. He finally swung his head forward and forced Cassia to slide farther underneath him. The entire roof collapsed on itself as Cassia leapt off and rolled onto the streets.

    As the dust settled, Gardner erupted from the ruins and bellowed, throwing another Shadow Ball at Cassia. She narrowly dodged it and ran for him again. He threw another and clipped Cassia across her shoulder, causing her to cringe as she leapt forward. Gardner puffed into mist again and allowed Cassia to land right in his noxious body.

    She coughed and wheezed once more, scrambling to escape his grasp. Gardner’s fist appeared once more and slugged Cassia across her face. Another did the same, and another. She fell to the ground and coughed as blood fell from her lip.

    Gardner rematerialized and laughed haggardly, cracking his neck. He stood over Cassia and caused his arm to become enveloped in bright, crackling lightning. “I expected more from Arthus’ pet!” He threw his fist down toward Cassia’s head.

    It passed through her and made her dissipate. Gardner’s eye widened, then narrowed as he searched. “You can’t hide forever, brat.” He kept his fists up, ready to contend with her.

    Claws raked across his back, leaving viscous, black gas. Gardner seethed and whirled around, throwing a series of Shadow Balls behind him. All flew harmlessly into the air.

    Gardner stood still, then held out a hand and belched out a puce fog, filling the entire area. He peered through it and saw a shape crossing through it, sprinting toward him.

    Gardner swept to the left and allowed the shape to pass by him harmlessly. He grabbed its ‘tail’ and yanked it back, causing Cassia to scream and rematerialize. Gardner grabbed her neck and held her high. “Is that really the best you can do?” He threw her into the air and shot a Shadow Ball into her chest, sending her beyond the walls of the city and into the Minute Plains.

    She landed in an explosion of soil. She groaned slowly pushed herself up, barely standing. Gardner barreled closer, but his slow gait allowed Cassia time to think. She looked to the heavens and cried, “Please, Arceus, do something!” A shadow ball spiraled directly toward her.

    She leapt back and began running toward the forest. Gardner followed and continued throwing shadow balls, his scarred eye flaring with each one. She soon disappeared, but Gardner knew that she would inevitably go into the forest.

    He entered and carefully searched around him “I know you’re here, brat.” Wind whistled through the bare branches, and the skies darkened with the thickening clouds.

    A twig snapped. Gardner swung around and threw a shadow ball. It exploded against a tree and consumed it in a black explosion. Leaves rustled, and Gardner continued throwing shadow balls, each one failing to meet their target.

    A blue light blinked into existence. Gardner extended his hand to throw a sphere but froze. His eye widened. “It can’t be.”

    The light drew closer, and it revealed itself to be a Chandelure, moaning with the wind and creaking with every movement. It waved its many flames threateningly, each jetting forward to singe the Dusknoir. Gardner drew away, bumping into a fabric-like wall.

    He swerved around and gasped, discovering that it was a large Banette, its floppy hands thrown into the air. Its zipper mouth opened and let out a mad cackle as it tried to snatch Gardner’s hand.

    Gardner cried out and shot through the branches into the sky. He breathed quickly, his Life rising to a high.

    A sword swung toward his throat.

    Narrowly ducked underneath it and saw it was a Doublade, spiraling through the air with three others, all with their blades drawn. They all screeched a single word: “Liiiiife!”

    Gardner returned below and puffed into gas, scrambling to run away. Other gaseous shapes joined him—a giant cluster of Haunter, all cackling wildly. Other denizens from the Ythereal Swamp followed it, all hunting down the Dusknoir.

    Gardner threw back a shadow ball as he ran, which bashed into a Haunter and made it explode in black light. Two others replaced it and continued to close the gap between them. Their ethereal hands snatched Gardner out of the air. He screamed one final time.

    Cassia oversaw his ordeal from the top of one of Saunte’s watchtowers. She turned away and muttered, “‘So shall your choices haunt you for destroying the lives of others.’” She slowly climbed down, eating the last of the berries she had.

    Back in the plaza, the Guild Pokemon grew uneasy. A Gumshoos’ teeth chattered, a Hitmonlee’s legs quivered, a Skuntank nervously released noxious gas. That final, haunting scream lingered in their minds. Gardner had yet to return, and without his terrifying presence, their confidence waned.

    Cassia suddenly appeared in the center of the plaza, and all turned to face her. Her face was bruised, and her body was scraped, but she was otherwise unharmed. “Gardner is dead.” The Guild Pokemon paled.

    She pointed west. “Go back to the Guild and never come back, or I’ll make you go.”

    They took off into the streets with no hesitation. They all ran into the plains toward the woods and the desert beyond, all wishing they never encountered her.

    The Pokemon of Saunte remained standing where they were, unsure of what to think of Cassia. She took a deep breath, then sat on a pile of stone bricks at the edge of the plaza. She held a hand up to her face and made it flash red, much to Saunte’s surprise. She pulled it away moments later, and her face only had minor scratches, all closing rapidly.

    She looked over to Saunte and smiled. “I can heal anyone who’s hurt.” She held a hand out toward them. “I won’t hurt you.”

    None stirred. Faint mutterings spread throughout the crowd, and Cassia’s smile faded as her fears set in.

    An Eevee emerged from the gathering, limping forward. She kept a foreleg close to her chest as she drew closer to Cassia. The Zoroark saw no fear in the child’s expression but could sense anxiety—especially from the Leafeon at the front of the crowd, who she figured was the Eevee’s mother.

    The Eevee stopped at Cassia’s feet and looked up at her. She held up her injured leg. “Mama says I sprained it. Can you help me?”

    Cassia smiled and gently lifted the Eevee onto her lap. “Yes.” She gently held the Eevee’s leg up and let Life flow from her palm into the injured limb.

    The Eevee stared at the Life in wonder, but soon faced Cassia. “What’s your name?”

    “Cassia.” She could feel the tissue beneath the Eevee’s skin healing.

    The Eevee lowered her ears and turned away. “Mama always said I shouldn’t trust Zoroark.”

    Knowing that they could both be heard, Cassia replied, “Well, what do you think?”

    The Eevee hopped up and exclaimed, “You beat up that mean old Gardner for us! A bad Pokemon wouldn’t do that!” She winced and returned to sitting as Cassia continued to heal. “You even sound nice…not like that Arthus guy I hear about in stories.”

    Cassia finished healing the Eevee’s leg, then leaned in close and said, “There’s good in everyone—especially Arthus.” She waved her off. “Now how about you show your mama?”

    The Eevee stared at her leg in astonishment and flexed it, feeling no pain. She beamed and hopped off Cassia’s lap and to the Leafeon. “Look Mama, the nice Zoroark made my leg better!”

    The Leafeon nuzzled her daughter’s head and laughed. She briefly looked over to Cassia and said, “Thank you.”

    Cassia smiled and nodded. “You’re welcome.”

    Slowly but surely, other Pokemon from the crowd came to Cassia with all manners of injuries—cuts, bruises, broken bones, stomach pains—anything that they thought could be healed by her. And she did, draining her stored life until she only had a small fraction of what she formerly had.

    After the Pokemon of Saunte quieted their talk about their miraculous recovery, Cassia took the Arceist Tome out from her bag and leafed through it. “I have a message from Arceus for you. In Proclamation 21, Arceus tells us that light cannot be seen without darkness, good cannot be known without evil—right cannot be without wrong. There will always be Pokemon who choose the wrong decisions, just as there are those who make the right.” She closed the Tome, smiling as she studied its cover. “Whether we’re as happy as can be, or are in deepest sorrow, Arceus is with us. In this time of trial, Arceus saw your pain. He sent me to stop Gardner, and now that he and the Guild are gone, you are free.” She looked up and saw gracious smiles across everyone’s faces. “If you remember nothing else from me, please know that Arceus is always here. Many have tried to make you forget him, but they are wrong; he is as real as you and me.” She returned the Tome to her bag. “Do you understand?” Murmurs of agreement rung out throughout the crowd, and Cassia bowed her head and smiled.

    Excited whispers and murmurs rose up from the back and traveled to the front as a someone passed through them toward Cassia. She lifted her head to see who it was. A silver-furred Lucario pushed through the crowd, wearing a leather cloak and hat.

    He turned around to a Watchog and said, “Could you tell me what just ha—” He saw Cassia and stopped. His arms fell limp. “…Cassia?”

    Cassia stood up in astonishment. “Matheus?”

    Matheus processed her presence for a moment, then a smile stretched across his face. He held his arms out and exclaimed, “Cassia! You’re alive!”

    Cassia ran up to Matheus and laughed, hugging him close. “I missed you!”

    Matheus returned the hug, wincing as he wheezed, “I can tell. I missed you too.”

    Cassia pulled away and laughed again, then said, “Where did you go to? And where’s—” She stopped, her smile dissipating. Standing behind Matheus, several feet away, was Lawrence Stephenson, holding a bag in either paw.

    The bag dropped from his paws. “You’re—you’re—” He struggled to speak as he staggered forward, his eyes wide and jaw slack.

    Cassia turned to him, breathing only one word: “Lawrence.”

    At the sound of his name, Lawrence sprinted forward and swept Cassia off her feet. They spun briefly as Lawrence hugged her tight, tears brimming his eyes.

    They stood still for a moment, then Lawrence whispered, “I thought you died.”

    Cassia shook her head slightly. “Nearly.” She nuzzled into Lawrence’s neck. “I missed you so much.”

    Lawrence rested his head on top of hers. “I missed you too.”

    Everyone was silent, allowing them their time together.

    Matheus stared upward, idling toward them. He tapped them both on the shoulder and whispered, “I know this is your sweet moment, but how about you catch up with each other,” he took a glance behind him, “away from prying eyes?” He nodded his head toward the crowd of Saunte Pokémon who couldn’t stop staring at the Lucario and Zoroark pair.

    Their faces burned as they exited the walls of the city and sat against the southern wall, sitting apart from each other. The plains sprawling in front of them rustled with the growing wind, enormous dark clouds looming in the distance. The trees to the east and west trembled with the gale, their bare branches whistling in seeming fear.

    They sat quiet for a few moments. Lawrence shuffled his feet uneasily while Cassia combed through her mane nervously. Despite longing to see each other for so long, they were lost for words.

    Lawrence broke the silence and said, “How’d you survive? How did you get here?” Cassia told her story, from when she woke up to when she defeated Gardner.

    At the end, she shakenly said, “I never realized how…conflicted Arthus truly is. He literally has another mind controlling him, and it’s thanks to his own grief that he did all this.” She hugged herself, bowing her head. “I wish there was something I could do to help him.”

    Lawrence leaned closer to her. “There…might still be a chance?”

    “…Maybe” They smiled for a moment, the Cassia said, “So, how did you end up here?”

    Lawrence explained what happened after he left the temple, from his grief, to his rediscovery, even Matheus’ feelings of him being a Legend.

    “You went through my stuff?” exclaimed Cassia.

    “I didn’t know you were alive!”

    “That’s no excuse!”

    “Actually—”

    “Aw, forget it.” Cassia threw her hands down, laughing. “I’m excited that you’ve changed, Lawrence! I knew that you would make a great Arceist!”

    Lawrence smirked, nudging her. “And you thought I was a Guild Pokémon trying to capture you.”

    Cassia playfully slapped him and sternly said, “That was before I really knew you!”

    Lawrence chuckled, leaning back on the wall. “Grom didn’t like me at all. Good thing I—” He stopped, noticing her glum face as she reached inside her bag.

    She pulled out Grom’s bolts, closing her claws over them. “Managed to save these. They’re all…they’re all that’s left of him.”

    Lawrence empathetically wrapped his arms around Cassia. “I miss him too, Cassia. I’m sorry I wasn’t more…considerate.”

    Cassia put Grom’s bolts back into the bag. “It’s not your fault.”

    They remained hugging each other, Grom’s death hanging heavy over them. The storm in the south rumbled closer, lightning arcing between the clouds in flashes of white light. Deep, roaring thunder followed, making the ground shake.

    They parted from each other to look up. “I haven’t seen a storm like that since…ever,” Cassia explained.

    “Same here.” Lawrence thought for a moment, looking away. “We should probably get back to Matheus.” Lawrence made as if to stand up.

    Cassia helped him to his feet. “I saw him as we were going away; he was going to the south part of the city.” They walked together through the now-crowded streets, making way to the southern wall.

    At the top of the southern wall, Matheus sat on a large brick, deep in thought. The citizens of Saunte had since begun gathering their belongings from the wreckage, their livelihoods ruined by the Guild—but their hearts were full, thanks to Cassia and Lawrence.

    Lawrence and Cassia came up to him. Matheus turned around, grim. Lawrence said, “Matheus, the storm—”

    “Is getting worse by the minute, I know.” He groaned and said, “As you said, that isn’t any ordinary storm. It heralds Yveltal’s flight across Serenita. Soon, he’ll take the life of every Pokémon here; nothing will stop him.”

    Mortified, Cassia exclaimed, “There must be something we can do! There’s so many good and honest Pokémon living here! It wouldn’t be right for them to die!”

    Matheus looked down at sighed, slapping his paws against his legs. “There’s only one way: The Prison Bottle. Hoopa was supposed to go retrieve it and complete his duty, but now that he’s entirely in the bottle, he can’t.” He rubbed his face and moaned.

    Cassia perked up, then hurriedly reached inside her bag. “Wait, Matheus!” He turned to face her. She held up Hoopa’s prison with the cloth, it’s eyes continuing to shine fiercely.

    Both Matheus and Lawrence staggered back in surprise. The Legend scrambled to his feet and pried the Bottle away from Cassia. “When in Equivos did you get this?” he exclaimed, holding his paw over the cap.

    “I felt compelled to take it back when I was in the Guild, but I didn’t know why,” Cassia explained. “But I guess I know now.”

    Matheus sighed in relief and smiled. “Thanks to you, many will live.” He started down the stairs of the wall, toward the gate of the city.

    Lawrence and Cassia followed, with Lawrence rearing away from the bottle. “Are you sure this is a good plan?”

    Matheus solemnly nodded. “It’s the only one we have.” They exited the city and stopped in the middle of the field.

    Matheus held the cap of the Prison Bottle, and after a moment of hesitation, he held it high and pulled off the stopper. Thick violet mist spewed from it and swirled around the Legend, collecting in front of him and bellowing menacingly. The Unbound Hoopa materialized in front of them and threw his six arms out from their sockets, his eyes brightly glowing green.

    “I have been robbed of my freedom by that deceitful Zoroark!” Hoopa roared, the air crackling around him. “I know well what my duties are, puny Lucario, and I refuse to comply until I have my freedom—and more!”

    Lawrence pulled at Matheus’ free arm. “What are you doing?” he hissed. “How is he going to help us?”

    Matheus set a finger against his lips, then turned back and proclaimed, “Hoopa, regardless of your personal issues, you must complete your duty of gathering all the followers of Arceus to the Tree of Life in preparation of Yveltal’s coming, as prophesied in the Arceist Tome.”

    Hoopa grinned maliciously, leering at the Lucario. “And who’s going to make me? Arceus has no energy to spare to prepare for the final desolation, and the Seal is in that Zoroark’s claws.” He leaned back and crossed his six arms. “Until I am recompensed, I will not gather the followers of Arceus.”

    Matheus quaked, dropping the Prison Bottle as the fur on the back of his head rose. “As a servant of Arceus, you will save them! I didn’t spend the last two thousand years saving lives just to lose them all because of your arrogance!”

    Hoopa continued to grin. “My freedom, my price, or no saving grace. I shed no tears for the loss of life, as you know from my trial, Matheus.”

    Matheus seethed, his eyes temporarily glowing blue. He soon calmed, his paws balled into fists. “I’ll grant you your freedom,” he growled, “but what’s your price?”

    Hoopa balanced a loop on two fingers, purple mist flowing from their centers. “A simple one.” He stacked the loops together. "A heavy one.” He set them over his head. “All I ask is for one thing.” He lowered one hoop over his head, causing it to appear in the higher one, leaving an enormous space between his head and body. “One far more amusing than a mere parlor trick.”

    He pulled back the loops and made his eyes parallel to Matheus’. “I want, from one of you, your most precious love.”

    Matheus blinked. “What?”

    Hoopa chucked, leaning back and crossing his hands behind his head. "You heard me: your most precious love. One of you come to me and offer it, and once I have it, I will gather the followers.” He straightened and sat on crossed legs, his arms reentering their crevices. “Once the storm clouds cover the entirety of Serenita, Yveltal shall come. I suggest you make your decision hastily.”

    Matheus nodded dazedly, then returned to his companions. “You heard him. Unless we sacrifice our greatest love, all of Arceus’ work will be for nothing.”

    Lawrence held Cassia’s hand. “If I go…I’d be giving up Cassia.” He shook his head. “I can’t lose her again.”

    Cassia held a hand over her heart, touched. “And I’d lose Lawrence…”

    Silence. None seemed to be willing to give their most precious love, even if the lives of the entire region were at stake. The storm clouds rolled overhead, migrating further and further north, and spreading still to the east and west.

    Matheus suddenly grimaced, taking off his hat. “I’ll…I’ll do it.” He faced Hoopa. “It’s high time I did it anyway.” Without waiting for the word of his comrades, he boldly marched to Hoopa, and planted himself in front of the djinn.

    Hoopa eyed Matheus, his grin growing wider. “Ah, the Guildmaster offers himself as tribute. What a delectable surprise.”

    Matheus replaced his hat, holding his paws out. “Just do it.”

    Hoopa chuckled, his claws glowing violet. “Your wish is my will…” He tapped Matheus’ chest, and he breathed in haggardly, holding a paw against his chest. Pure white light flowed from him into Hoopa’s finger, growing dimmer with each passing moment.

    Matheus fell to his knees, his silver fur losing its luster with the light. His breathing became ragged, his limbs shook, becoming frailer each passing moment. Cassia went to support him, but Lawrence held her back, his eye narrowing as the light extinguished.

    Hoopa retracted his finger, inspecting it. He scraped it against another claw, then gingerly picked up the Prison Bottle. “Now for the other half of our agreement.” His claws glowed violet, and the bottle shattered into millions of pieces, exploding outward.

    Hoopa stood straight and took a deep breath, a warm glow surrounding him. “I will now complete my duty. Then, I shall join my fellow Legends in the final destruction of Equivos.” His six hoops flew from his arms, one going to the far east.

    He pointed at Lawrence and the others. “Don’t let this be for naught. Complete your duty, Keeper.” A hoop swept over and scooped him inside. Another two hoops followed suit, capturing Lawrence and Cassia and sending them to Deitae.

    Hoopa laughed, sending the hoops all across the world. “All thoughts and wills are known to the mighty Hoopa, my freedom allowing my full power. No unfaithful will arrive on Deitae.” His eyes glowed a brighter emerald.

    “All on Serenita shall fall at the wings of Yveltal.”

    ~~~~

    Cold.

    Weak.

    Foolish.

    Me.

    Matheus stirred, his vision clearing in the dim light. He saw a vague blue shape, accompanied by a black-and-red one. “Are you alright?” a muffled voice asked.

    Matheus moaned, holding his chest. “Been…better,” he croaked. He struggled to his feet, clutching onto Lawrence and Cassia for support. He looked around him, recognizing where he was.

    Dark, massive trees surrounded a large clearing, the grass underneath them completely black. The occasional yellow speck of light popped out from the ground, only for it to die soon after contacting the air. The wind was strong, and black clouds overhead boomed their arrival. To his right was an enormous, rainbow-colored tree, its bark pulsing many colors to the golden leaves. A single entrance lay embedded in its trunk, guarded by a familiar ‘X’.

    Matheus made a grim, hoarse laugh. “It’s finally here…the Day of Desolation.”

    “Matheus, what did Hoopa take from you? You look awful,” Cassia said, inspecting Matheus’ paw.

    He gently pulled it away. “It was what I held most precious…once.” He coughed, then said, “We are in Xerneas’ Glade, where the Tree of Life grows.” He held his paw out grandly, noting the frail bones beneath. “Welcome to Deitae.”

    All but Matheus gazed in awe at the marvelous tree, the many spiraling lights a sight to behold. “Isn’t this place lethal for non-Legends? You know, the glowing lights?” Cassia asked

    Matheus pointed at a dying light sprouting from the soil. “With the Day of Desolation, the lights are no longer alive. You have nothing to fear here—provided that Arthus doesn’t reach the Tree of Life.” He coughed again, pounding his chest. “While he is certainly a danger, he is second to the real task at hand: bringing all the remaining Pokémon of Equivos to the Realm of the Keeper.”

    “The final prophecy…” Cassia muttered.

    Matheus nodded weakly. “Yes. Any moment now, Hoopa will bring them here.” He looked around, then sighed. “Although that will be meaningless unless the way to the realm opens. Once Yveltal finishes his work, the Legends will destroy Serenita, and then Deitae—and us along with it.” He rolled his head, seething. “I don’t even know who the Keeper is, let alone how the way opens.”

    The Trevenant’s prophecy rang clear in Lawrence’s mind: “A Keeper once was, but now he becomes a treader of realms and deceiver of self. The truth once held must take once more in order for the Keeper to be awakened for war. Awaken Aleron as well as the Keeper and Equivos may be reborn to live on.”

    Lawrence paused. “Cassia said a while back that I had to be the Keeper…”

    Beep—Beep—Beep!

    Everyone jumped in fright, searching wildly for the source of the alien sound.

    Beep—Beep—Beep!

    Matheus pointed at Lawrence. “It’s coming from you! What is that infernal noise?”

    Lawrence’s heart skipped a beat. “It couldn’t be!” He scrambled to remove the Pokédex from his arm, then flipped open the case. A rush of excitement overcame him from the words on the screen:

    Incoming Call from Valence HQ.

    ~~~~

    On the southern coast of Serenita, near the islands of Cretea, the winds grew as the clouds advanced to the north. The seas rose and stirred to meet the gathering storm. No sea creatures fought against the tide, for all had gone, to the safety far beyond the borders of Equivos—where there may be none.

    Arthus meditated above a dark circle of sand, gradually feeding the deposit beneath to keep it in existence. All while he did, he thought of those he had lost—first Corrina, then Matheus, Erik, even Cassia. All to the same, uncaring god: Arceus.

    Arthus clutched the Seal, the pulsing light growing brighter with each passing moment. “Soon, Cassia…soon, we’ll be together again.” He swung his head to the left and seethed, “And you won’t be there to stop me. I’ll make sure of it!” He slammed his claws into the sand, and tendrils rose up to drag him into the earth. A beam of red light surged under the seas toward the continent of Deitae, all to complete the Usurper’s final desire.

    As he coursed through the vast network of Life, the small, weak voice in the back of his mind thought of only one thing:

    ‘I have nothing to live for. Let me die so I don’t ruin the lives of everyone living and dead.”
     
    Last edited:
    Chapter 26: Salvation
  • Chapter 26: Salvation

    The Day has come,


    The Flight has begun,

    The Usurper has but hours,

    To fulfill his mission.

    The Priestess has spoken,

    The Bottle has broken,

    The Keeper has awoken,

    The Day of Desolation.

    ~~~~

    Hoopa cackled as he hovered high above Serenita, watching four of his hoops scooping up Pokémon through one in front of him. He carefully avoided the Pokémon unfaithful to Arceus, leaving dozens behind after finishing a village.

    Abruptly, he clapped his hands together, and his hoops immediately returned to him. “It is done.”

    “Krreeeaaaaww!”

    Hoopa smirked, noticing that the storm clouds had fully covered the continent. “Just in time.” A Y-shaped object soared over him, rapidly upon Serenita. A deep, booming voice rang out across the land:

    “The Day has come! All who failed to follow the words of the Creator shall be claimed by Yveltal!”

    ~~~~

    “I-It’s a call from Unova!” Lawrence exclaimed, nearly dropping the Pokédex. He and Cassia and Matheus stood away from the growing crowd of Pokémon surrounding the Tree of Life.

    “What do you mean ‘a call’?” Matheus asked, his voice growing stronger. The Pokédex continued to beep, waiting for Lawrence to accept the transmission.

    Lawrence pointed at the Pokédex excitedly. “Look, this might sound crazy, but I have a way to get everyone out of Equivos!” He breathed in sharply. “The…the realm of the Keeper.” He fell still, suddenly realizing the Trevenant’s prophecy. “I’m a traveler between worlds…I’ve protected so many. I gathered everyone—and the Arcean Texts. Only one message remained from them: to treat Pokémon like ourselves.” He looked around him, everything coming clear to him. “Those words were never meant for the Pokémon of my world…they were meant for the Pokémon of this one!”

    He stared at the Pokédex and quietly said, “I’m the Keeper. I was meant to come here.” He lifted his head and said more clearly, “I…I can bring everyone to safety—to my world.

    “And how would you do that?” Cassia interjected.

    “The same way I came here: a wormhole.” Lawrence remembered the horrifying experience of entering the region, the screeching of the beasts beyond the clouded tunnel, causing him to shiver.

    “Kreeaaww!”

    Everyone around the tree screamed, panicking at the shadow soaring above them and toward the continent.

    Matheus pulled Lawrence closer. “Once Yveltal’s done with Serenita, the other Legends will destroy it and come here to finish the job! And that’s not even accounting for Arthus’ madness!” He stepped away and added, “Plus, there’s the matter of getting outside the region. How are you so sure that this ‘Valence’ will take us out of here?”

    “I’m contacting them now.” Lawrence tapped the answer button, and the text on the screen dimmed.

    Cassia cocked her head. “What now?”

    “Now we wait,” Lawrence replied. He turned to the other Pokémon. “We need to get them ready to leave. It won’t be long before they come in.”

    “We haven’t seen any sign of Arthus; someone has to go to the coast and stop him from reaching the Tree of Life,” Matheus reminded them.

    “Is Arceus really in there?” Cassia asked, awestruck.

    “Yes, but the protections he put up are useless against the Seal; it can counteract anything created by the Legends.” Matheus separated himself from them, stepping to the west. “I’ll handle him while you two help distribute supplies. They’re in a storage compartment under the Tree.”

    “What?” Cassia grabbed Matheus’ arm and pulled him toward her, adjusting the Tome in her grip. “You’re too weak! You can’t—”

    “Just hit me with Life and I’ll be fine.”

    “But you’re a Legend! He can take you!”

    “Not anymore.”

    “All the more reason!

    “I’ve beat him before.”

    I don’t want you to die!”

    Cassia let go of Matheus and threw down her arms. “We need you. We all do. If we’re really going to Lawrence’s world, we need someone to look up to, someone we respect.” She held the Arceist Tome out to him. “We need Aleron. Not Matheus.”

    Lawrence’s Pokédex continued to ring as Matheus gazed at the Tome. Lightning flashed, and rain pelted the ground.

    The Legend turned away from Cassia. “No. Matheus would run from this fight. Just like he did when Arthus first took power. He would be a coward, hiding away, regretting his actions.” He closed his eyes. “Aleron would protect those who cannot protect themselves. He would charge in recklessly, beating back whatever dangers awaited him, no matter the cost.” He pushed the Tome back to Cassia. “You are a better example than I could ever be. You lead them.” He let go of it. “I’ll save them.”

    Cassia held the Tome close to her chest, then nodded. Matheus went to turn back but was stopped by Cassia’s hand again. She set it on Matheus’ palm. “I’ll give you what I can spare.” Life surged from Cassia’s arm into Matheus’ causing him to stand taller and breathe clearer. His coat retained the dull sheen gained from Hoopa’s price.

    Matheus raised his paw, warmed by the rush of energy. “Thanks.” He turned and ran into the dark woods, leaving Cassia to her work.

    She caressed the Tome, walking back to Lawrence. “Do you think he’ll be alright?”

    Lawrence looked away from the Pokédex. “He knows Arthus best. If anyone’s got a chance to stop him, it’s Matheus.” He turned back to the Pokédex, gripping it tighter. “I just hope we can do our part.”

    Cassia cocked her head, looking over Lawrence’s shoulder. “Why?” The Pokédex continued to flash, waiting for someone to pick up on the other end.

    “No one’s answering.”

    ~~~~

    Unova, Castelia City, Valence Tech

    In the dark hallways of Facility D, scientists solemnly pulled white sheets over the various instruments of the dimensional research center. Others gathered what data they had on Equivos, and others more worked on dismantling the wormhole generator, its golden ring gathering dust. Machines scraped and ground in the background, muffling the pitiful whines of the Pokémon in cages throughout.

    Aaron Hanson bit his fist, his head low and eyes shut. “He was so promising…” he sighed. He glanced at the communication module, a single red light blinking below the slim microphone and blank screen.

    Two engineers inspected the module. “That Lawrence fella’s been gone for nearly a month,” one said.

    “Likely dead by now,” the other replied.

    “And we’ve been sending a signal ever since he got sucked in.”

    “Must not’ve been in range before he died.”

    Hanson grimaced. “Yes, and I’ll have to break the news to his friends and family. I’ll have to explain that he died in a lab accident, but no need to go into the details.” He groaned. “I can’t afford to discredit the company any more than I need to.”

    The engineers set to work on disassembling the giant communication module, going behind the contraption. The red light suddenly glowed green.

    Hanson sighed, massaging his forehead. “Years of preparation…a perfect employee…and weeks of putting off the board…” He tightened his fist. “Wasted.” He looked to the ceiling, shaking his head slightly. “I had such high hopes…a world full of talking Pokémon…” He sighed and lowered his head. “I suppose it was never meant to be.”

    As the communication hub began to be taken down, Hanson took another hopeless glance over at the module. His eyes widened. He ran to the module and shouted, “Stop! Stop! We have contact!”

    The engineers stopped in their tracks and backed away, looking around the front. One pushed back his helmet and blew his breath out slowly. “Well I’ll be. He’s alive!”

    He pushed him away and hunched over the computer. “Tell everyone to stop what they’re doing! Lawrence has responded!”

    The engineers nodded and ran through the dark hallways, shouting for everyone to stop. All around, the scientists halted taking down the equipment, even the enormous wormhole generator.

    Hanson pushed a button on the module, allowing a cacophony of static to ensue. He stepped back and cringed, waving over to his men. “Get this thing to work!” A pair came to him and hurriedly twisted dials and clicked buttons, clearing the static and making voice come clear.

    Finally, in a crackling tone he said, “This is Lawrence Stephenson—Repeat—Lawrence Stephenson—Can you hear me?”

    Hanson pushed away the scientist and hovered in front of the microphone. “We hear you loud and clear, Lawrence!” Hanson wiped his brow, grinning. “Thank heavens you’re alive! You dropped off the grid after you disappeared, and we’ve been sending a distress signal ever since!” He looked behind him, his grin fading. “We were just about to take everything down, in fact.” He turned back around. “What happened to you?” He tapped the blank screen behind the microphone. “Did your camera break in the entry? Why can't we see you?”

    A short breath blew through the crackling speaker. “Not a good time—have to hurry! World’s falling apart—need wormhole!”

    Hanson shook his head in bewilderment. “What do you mean the world’s falling apart? It was a stable dimension—”

    “There’s thousands of Pokémon in danger! How quick—wormhole?” Lawrence’s voice kept breaking, losing itself to the static.

    Hanson pulled a scientist closer. “If what he says is true, we don’t have time to waste! Get the wormhole generator running and target his current location!” He turned back to the monitor. “How many Pokémon are there with you?”

    “Thousands—hurry!”

    As the wormhole generator hastily had final adjustments made, Hanson smiled. “This venture wasn’t a total loss after all.” He paced to one of the blue-suited guards standing by, several Pokeballs at his hip. He leaned down as Hanson said, “Get the cages ready. We’re about to have a lot of Pokémon come from Equivos.”

    ~~~~

    Amidst the thundering of the storm, a portion of the coastline emanated red light. Soaking sand erupted into the air, and Arthus was thrown out from the ground. Sand coated his fur as he took deep, desperate breaths. He wearily came to his feet and studied the turmoil around him. He faced the Tree of Life and grinned, then knelt down and held his hand under the sand. He absorbed the rich well of Life the Tree had gathered, so much that he felt fit to burst.

    He stood straight and looked up at the Tree once more. “Soon, this will all be over.”

    “Yes, it all will.”

    Arthus spun around and froze. Matheus leaned against a tree, his arms folded, and his head lowered. The Tree of Life rose behind him, the lights continuing to shine as a beacon to those beneath it.

    The Zoroark narrowed his eyes and sneered. “Here to stop me again, are you?” He slowly approached the silver Lucario. “For the third time. First you betrayed me, then you took Erik, then you took Cassia!”

    “That was never my fault, Arthus. Just as you drove me away with your change, you drove away Erik and Cassia.” Matheus stood up, straightening his hat. “You’re blind to what you’ve become. You’re a murderous mad-Pokémon, not even flinching at the prospect of slaying someone for dropping your food, when you used to be someone who would forgive even the most wretched criminal!” Matheus bared his teeth. “You became the evil that you wanted to stop!”

    “Enough!” Arthus bellowed, his eyes glowing red. He stopped then closed his eyes, taking slow, deliberate breaths. After a moment, he uncovered his eyes, pure, ice-like blue. “If you think that I enjoy this terror…then you’re wrong. I hate it as much as I did in the past.” He stooped forward, extending his arms. “But unlike before, I know that this needs to happen for the world to be saved from itself. When I take Arceus, all will be resurrected; it won’t matter if I kill them now because they’ll die anyway!”

    “At what cost? With no choice but the right one, they won’t be alive!”

    Arthus’ claws emanated Life. “This entire discussion is water under the bridge. We’ve had it twice before, and both times we clashed.” The Seal glowed brighter as he removed it from his neck and wrapped the chain around his claw. “It’s time I took you with the Seal!” He sprung toward Matheus, the Seal outstretched.

    Matheus leapt back and threw down his fists. They surged with Aura as he pressed them together, causing the light to gather inside. Arthus came to his feet and sprinted after Matheus. The Lucario threw an Aura Sphere toward him.

    Arthus’ claws glowed crimson as he beat the sphere away, causing it to explode with violet light against a tree. He snarled, both his hands glowing with Life. He held them outward, continuing to run for Matheus.

    The Lucario pressed his paws together once more, then slowly spread them out, creating an elongated rod of Aura. He thrust it outward and met with Arthus’ claws, creating sparks of purple as they ground against its surface.

    Arthus pressed close, the Seal growing closer to Matheus’ paws on the rod. “Only a matter of time before we all die, isn’t it?”

    Matheus pulled away and pounded Arthus in the chest, causing him to stumble back. Arthus growled and beat against the rod, sending out another explosion of violet. He did so again, and again, approaching Matheus from all different angles in an attempt to graze him with the Seal of Creation.

    He halted, breathing heavily. He grinned, and various copies spread from him and surrounded Matheus. They reared back to strike.

    Matheus dove to the ground, his rod dissipating. He closed his eyes and saw vague outlines surrounding the copies, noticing only one true Zoroark as a blob of red. He swept Arthus’ legs and rolled underneath the falling Zoroark, then darted into a dense cluster of trees.

    Arthus clambered to his feet and snorted, the Seal still in his grip. “You can’t avoid your fate!” He rushed for Matheus, slashing at trees, still reaching out to touch his fur.

    Behind them, soaring over Serenita, Yveltal roared.

    ~~~~

    Within the Guild, Pokémon forced themselves through the torrential rains and thundering lightning, taking shelter in the storehouses and barracks. Some dared to go out to secure the unprotected rations and supplies, but most felt a deep foreboding, as if, somehow, this storm was an ending.

    Within the Master’s Tower, rain leaked through the rafters and splattered over Martre’s head, rolling down his face and coating his bandaged eyes. He prodded them, sensing his surroundings with his psychic abilities rather than using his physical.

    He faced the window, his metallic teeth grinding. “Curse that traitorous Zoroark.” He looked up, as if seeing the raindrops rocketing to the ground. “Unlike any I’ve seen before…”

    A void-like shadow passed his psychic vision, causing him to flinch. He shook his head, disbelieving it. “Tales were all they were…legends…”

    Screams echoed from below, and Martre looked out to see a crowd of his subservient Pokémon escaping from a giant column of crimson energy spiraling into the sky. It rapidly enveloped the Pokémon and absorbed them, burning through the structures and leaving only destruction in its wake.

    The column circled closer to the Metagross catching each of its victims. Martre cleared his mind as his research center shone with red light, the pillar just beyond the window.

    It crashed through the glass and burned the wood instantly, melting stone and disintegrating the books in its path. It surged toward Martre and caught him in its light, bringing the Life of the Metagross to Yveltal, the Destruction Legend.

    ~~~~

    The rain on Deitae only worsened. The trees of the Luminescent Woods blew backward in the mist. The Lake of Enlightenment lost its luster in the fierce winds. The ruins of the Mountain of Rebirth crumbled further in the onslaught. All the landmarks of the Legends wore away as Yveltal completed his first and final work.

    Lawrence distributed small packs of supplies to the displaced Pokémon of Serenita underneath the Tree of Life, the multi-colored leaves continuing to shine bright despite the storm. Lawrence distributed the supply bags from the shed while Cassia lined them up, preparing for the wormhole. Just as with the Guild, the end lingered in their minds.

    Inside the supply storage, Lawrence continued to dwell on the preparation for the wormhole, how everything seemed to come together despite the circumstances. He looked up at the Tree of Life, wondering if some higher power was at work.

    “Don’t even think about it.”

    Lawrence turned around and saw Aerav Aerodactyl from Jareth standing outside the door, his wings bent on the ground with age. “Arceus is the wisest and most powerful being in Equivos. He has a purpose for everything he does.” He gave the Lucario a warning look. “So don’t go to him. We are not worthy to stand in his presence.”

    Lawrence nodded, picking up the final bag and strapping it onto his back. “Don’t you think it’s strange that I happen to come just as the world is ending? That I have the only way to save everyone? That Cassia—”

    “None of that is important now.” Aerav smiled slightly. “Just focus on bringing us to your place of safety.” He lumbered back to the Pokémon of his village, leaving Lawrence to dwell further on the circumstances of their return.

    He stepped out of the now-empty storage underneath the tree and closed the door, looking up the boughs one more time. “I’ll figure out why you did this. One way or another.” He turned toward the eastern edge of the woods. “I hope you’re alright, Matheus.”

    “Lawrence!”

    Lawrence turned around to see Cassia coming toward him, sopping wet from the rain. Cassia pointed at the end of the line of Pokémon. “We’ve organized everyone and got them ready. Where’s the wormhole?”

    Lawrence glanced at the Pokédex on his arm. “I haven’t been able to contact Valence since the connection gave out. We’ll just have to hope they do it.”

    Cassia squinted her eyes, looking up. “Better make it quick. It looks like Yveltal is finished.”

    The Legend flew over their heads in a rush of wind, causing many of the other Pokémon to jump or scream. Yveltal seemed to disappear into the sky, vanishing into the distance.

    From the southern edge of the trees, a giant Trevenant rose above their boughs. A hoard of Phantump followed in his wake, surrounding his body and swarming for his precious Life. On the side of his head, a cluster of Buneary huddled inside a small house, fearfully staring out into the rain. As he approached, the remaining population of Serenita steadily backed away, unsure of the ghost.

    The Trevenant marched toward Lawrence and Cassia, his arms lowered and scraping against the soil. “The day has come. Yveltal has flown, and soon, his fellow Legends will follow in his wake.” He lifted his hand and placed it against the edge of the hut. The three Buneary cautiously climbed out, covering their heads from the rain. The Trevenant placed his other hand over them as he lowered them to the ground.

    His maw curled into a smile. “I have cared for you as long as I am able.” His Phantump drifted away from him and swarmed over the three Buneary, creating cover from the rains.

    The Buneary backed away, the smallest one sniffing. “Do you have to go?”

    The Trevenant blinked, nodding his head. “The Realm of the Keeper is not for the likes of me. I am to remain and receive my rest.” He turned to Lawrence and Cassia. “My word has come true. The betrayal was fostered, the bottle was opened. Aleron has awoken, and now the Keeper has come to complete Arceus’ work.” His claws hovered over the ground, rising higher. “Now, Keeper, ensure that he did not save his Pokémon only for them to become slaves.” His hands sunk into the ground, and the cracks in the bark glowed red. His leaves fell away, and his head disintegrated, funneling into the grass. The rest of his body followed, removing any remnant of the Trevenant.

    The entire crowd stood still, astonished by the arrival and the death of the seer. The Phantump mewled mournfully, their erratic nature slowed by the passing of their parent. The Buneary hugged each other in their loss of their second caretaker.

    From the edge of the line of Pokémon, a certain Ambipom stepped out, holding a slumbering Aipom in his tails. “Alright, what in Arceus’ name is goin’ on! First, I get dragged away from my wife and get stuck with the kid, then some thing comes out and scares the livin’ daylights outta us, and now some giant tree comes and goes!” No reply came.

    Lawrence’s Pokédex rung again, blaring out despite the rain. Lawrence hurriedly picked it up and answered, “Do you have it ready?”

    “Yes—get to a good—position! Send—the word!”

    Lawrence briefly glanced at Cassia, nodding his head. He ran to the front of the line of Pokémon, his steps heavier due to his soaking wet fur. The population gazed at him in awe, never having seen a Lucario after Arthus’ takeover of the continent.

    He planted himself at the edge of the clearing and held the Pokédex in front of his face. “Now!”

    The rain stopped over his head. The clouds swirled, funneling toward the Lucario and arcing with electricity. Lawrence moved away from its targeted ground and watched the funnel expand into a disc of roiling cloud. It stopped, then the center sunk inward, disappearing into a void. The back remained flat as the inside of the vortex spun once more, opening into a dark and forbidding abyss, revealing nothing of what lay beyond.

    Lawrence studied the wormhole, remembering his first encounter well. Unlike before, it didn’t pull everything toward it, but instead remained stagnant in the air, patiently waiting. Despite this, Lawrence could feel its antagonistic aura.

    The Pokédex crackled and said, “We’ve refined the generator and made it so you could enter at will. You best hurry and get everyone across; I can’t guarantee it will last long!”

    Lawrence shook his head and turned to the Equivosians. He pointed to the wormhole and exclaimed, “Go inside, now! This is your only way to safety!” They shifted uneasily, gazing at the wormhole in fear.

    R-R-R-UMBLE!

    All around them, towering giants sprung from the singular mountains and lakes that formed Deitae. Groudon burst from the enormous Crack of Formation, spreading magma through the air and shaking the earth. Kyogre emerged from the Abyss of Darkness, sending a fountain of salt water to mix with the rain and strengthening the already-mighty torrents. The oceans rose and fell, rising beyond the coastlines and threatening to drown the vast tracts of land. Dialga and Palkia materialized from the Ruins of the Cosmos, joined with Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit from the Lake of Enlightenment. Time and space warped all around them, their presence disturbing the work they had so carefully made. The Legendary beasts—Entei, Raikou, and Suicune—roared from the Trinity Peaks, sending the call for their final work.

    All the Legends that assisted in the creation of Equivos came from their domains, each calling out their final duty:

    “Yveltal has finished what must be done, and now our time to destroy has come! All of Serenita now must fall, and then our home, Deitae, shall join it all!”

    Simultaneously, the Legends marched from their abodes going around the Tree of Life and the one Legend that failed to emerge: Arceus, the creator of all. The entire pantheon prepared to destroy their greatest creation, wiped clean of life by the Destruction Pokémon.

    Immediately after their call, the line of Equivosians advanced toward the wormhole, guided by their elders. Many voices cried out to escape:

    “We can’t stay here! Let me in!”

    “Why would Arceus do such a thing?”

    “Listen to the Lucario, go through that thing!”

    Cassia hastily joined Lawrence at the foot of the wormhole, blocking it from the onslaught of Pokémon. Lawrence held out his arms and exclaimed, “One at a time!” The Pokemon stopped, looking over Lawrence’s shoulder uneasily.

    Once they fell still, Lawrence stepped away from the portal and gestured to it. “I don’t know what will happen if more than one goes through, so just…keep it reasonable.” He retracted his arm. “And be quick. The Legends will be back soon.”

    The Linoone at the front of the line hurriedly jumped in, a squeak of fear emerging as he disappeared into the void. His family followed, and the others as well, as they warily entered the wormhole.

    Lawrence stood at their side, his thoughts focused on only one thing. He stood straight and said, “I have to go help Matheus.”

    “What?” Cassia exclaimed. “But he’s—”

    “Probably in trouble with Arthus!” He jumped across the line of Pokémon and held Cassia’s hands. “Look, I know we don’t have much time, but we can’t leave Matheus here.” He held her hands tighter. “He’s…he’s our friend.”

    They stared at each other for a few moments, with Cassia considering his words. She finally pulled away and sighed. “You’re right. I don’t want to leave him either.” She turned back on him and pointed a claw at his face. “But I don’t want to lose you either! You need to come back before those Legends do!”

    Lawrence smiled, nodding his head. “I will.” He then nodded toward the wormhole. “Just make sure everyone gets across.” He turned around and ran into the forest toward Matheus and the desolation of the Legends.

    Cassia remained behind, but inwardly, she fought between going with him and maintaining her position. ‘I can save him…I can save Arthus.’ Reluctantly, she turned away toward the fleeing Pokemon of Equivos. ‘But I must make sure they are all safe.’ She bowed her head and held her claws together. ‘Oh Arceus…save Lawrence…save Matheus.’ She opened her eyes.

    ‘Save my father.’

    ~~~~

    Hanson and the other scientists stood behind the control panel, anxiously waiting for something to come through their wormhole. The generator hummed, growing in intensity as time wore on.

    The CEO of Valence Tech waved to the men clad in black security vests. “Keep ready for the Pokémon. There’s no telling how they’ll react here. Just get them into the cages as soon as you can.” They each nodded to him, holding Pokeballs in their hands.

    A scream emanated from the wormhole, and a Linoone shot out from it, skidding against the concrete floor. He opened his eyes and gasped, shrinking back down. “T-This isn’t how imagined it to look like.”

    Hanson grinned, pushing back his ruffled hair. “Jackpot.” He swung his arm toward the Linoone. “You know the drill.”

    A guard threw a Poke Ball in front of the Linoone. It cracked open and sent a flurry of white light in front of him, forming and dimming into a snarling Mightyena, barking at the Linoone.

    The Linoone backed away, lowering his head and shivering. “W-Wild Pokémon!” He looked around at the foreign humans, paralyzed. “What are all of you?”

    “Keep quiet!” the guard exclaimed. He pointed at the Linoone and shouted, “Mightyena, get the Linoone!”

    The wolf growled and ran after it, its eyes wild. The Linoone screamed and swiftly ran away, darting around the legs of the guards toward a dark corner of the room. At the wall, he found himself surrounded with bars, unknowingly running into a cage.

    The Mightyena hovered at the entrance, barking at the Linoone. He remained in the corner, clamping his paws over his head. “Arceus, save me!”

    His family followed, each screaming as they sprawled to the ground. A cluster of Machoke followed, and many others as well. The other guards deployed their Pokémon, ranging from Luxray to Machamp, Arcanine to Pangoro—all powerful Pokémon, trained to capture.

    Hanson couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across his face. “Project Babel is underway.”

    The generator zapped, and the wormhole warped, disrupting the funnel inside. Hanson’s smile disappeared as quickly as it came. He jabbed a finger at a scientist. “Keep it stable! We must let Lawrence and all the other Pokémon through!” The scientist plinked away at a keyboard, shouting orders to his associates. The wormhole soon calmed, allowing more Pokémon to follow those who were herded away.

    Sweat rolled down Hanson’s brow as he clamped his fingers on the railing. “Come on…bring more, Lawrence…bring more!”

    ~~~~

    Across the ocean, the Kaena Woods burned by Reshiram’s almighty flames as he soared over the atmosphere. The Iren Desert turned to glass by Moltres’ fury, the Faylen Jungle froze by Articuno’s and Kyurem’s frost, and Mount Furnek raged under Entei’s roar. The islands of Cretea sunk into the ocean at Kyogre’s bidding, and the Minute Plains fractured under Groudon’s might. All around the physicality of Equivos, Dialga unraveled the stream of time, forcing the environments into a flux of birth and death, while Palkia warped matter from under to above and vice versa, ripping to pieces the vital balance of space. Yveltal’s oblivion provided peace to those who had inhabited the continent, saving them from the despair of the destruction of their home—all to cleanse the countless generations of darkness and evil caused by those who refused to serve Arceus.

    On Deitae, Lawrence ran through the Luminescent Woods, leaping over fallen trees and heading for the explosions of crimson and azure in the distance.

    Arthus struck against Matheus’ aura rod, driving him to the ground. “You. Will. Die!” He charged his claws with Life and struck against the rod once more, forcing it disintegrate in an explosion of violet.

    Matheus’ was blown back, the soil churning behind his paws. Arthus ran forward and roared, swinging the Seal toward him once more. Matheus struck the Zoroark’s arm and punched him in the stomach, causing him to double over and breathe heavily.

    Matheus cautiously stepped away, keeping his arms up. “Not as long as the Tree stands.”

    Arthus suddenly sprung forward and slashed Matheus’ thigh. He screamed and fell to one knee, clutching the bleeding leg. Arthus stood and kicked him to the ground, a wide grin plastered across his face.

    Matheus panted on the ground, struggling to get up. Arthus set his foot on his chest, dangling the Seal over him. He grinned. “Time’s up, Guildmaster.”

    “No!”

    Arthus’ head shot up as Lawrence ran from the edge toward him, aura flowing from his paws. He snapped up the Seal and turned back to Matheus. “I’ll finish you, then I’ll finish that human!” He slammed the Seal against Matheus’ chest.

    Lawrence stopped, thinking he was too late. The Seal glowed against Matheus’ dull fur, edging against his spike. The rains continued to pelt them, weighing down their bodies.

    Arthus blinked. Matheus remained present, a smile creeping across his lips. Arthus lifted the Seal and stared at it, then pressed it against Matheus again. No reaction.

    Arthus growled, lifting the Seal once more. “How! It’s exactly how it was before!”

    Matheus chuckled, his eyes glowing blue. “It only works on Legends.” His paws glowed blue, and he grabbed the Seal and came to his feet, favoring his uninjured limb. “And I’m not a Legend.” He reared back his paw, surrounding it with Aura.

    Arthus hurriedly slashed Matheus’ paw on the Seal, causing him to release it and allow him to leap away and wrap the Seal around his hand.

    As Matheus clutched his paw, Lawrence ran to him, asking, “Are you alright?”

    Matheus lowered his paw, ignoring the scratch. “F-Fine.”

    Arthus lowered the Seal around his neck and scowled. “You’ve just been wasting my time, knowing that I couldn’t take you with the Seal.”

    “And it’s nearly too late,” Matheus replied. He grabbed Lawrence’s arm. “For all of us. You need to get out of here!”

    Lawrence pulled away grabbing Matheus’ arm. “Not without you!”

    “I’m old, weak, and foolish! You don’t need me!”

    “Yes, I do! Who else will—”

    They both stopped as Arthus ran around them and toward the clearing, the Seal illuminating the path.

    Matheus pulled away from Lawrence and chased Arthus, his injured leg severely slowing his gait. “We can’t let him get to Arceus!”

    “I’ll stop him!” Lawrence exclaimed, swiftly running ahead of his elder. Matheus’ cry was drowned out by a sudden boom of thunder as Zekrom unleashed his power on the Xilo Mountains, instantly reducing them to rubble.

    Lawrence quickly caught up to Arthus and gathered a sphere in his paws far slower than Matheus’. The Zoroark looked back and snarled, charging a Life Sphere in his hand. He threw it back at Lawrence.

    The Lucario dodged away from it, then narrowly avoided a tree. He threw the Aura Sphere at Arthus, clipping the Arthus’ legs.

    Arthus gasped and tumbled to the ground, coating himself with mud and grass. He clambered to his feet and began to walk away, the clearing edging closer and closer into his vision.

    Lawrence punched Arthus over the head and knocked him down. “You won’t take Arceus!”

    Arthus throatily cackled, turning around. “Oh, I remember your dreams well, when I cared. You were a faithless young fool, wondering why Arceus would allow such horrible things to happen in the world.” He gestured around him at the rain, destruction, and waste. “And look what’s happened! Terrible, horrible death, more than I could ever achieve!” He held up the Seal. “And all of it could be stopped with this. No more faith, no more hopes, just a pure and simple trust that all will be well!”

    Lawrence remembered his previous beliefs, that Arceus didn’t exist, that he was contradictory, that he never wanted the best for everyone. “You’re wrong! You’re looking only at the bad, Arthus, at what everyone else has done wrong!” He pointed at the storm. “He saved everyone that held faith in him! He prepared my world for them to come! Horrible things happen, but they aren’t because of him!” He jabbed a finger at Arthus. “It’s all because of Pokémon like you, who are too self-absorbed to care about anyone else!”

    “I’ve had it with you!” Arthus bellowed, slashing at Lawrence. The Lucario stepped back at each subsequent slash. “You’re ignorant!” He charged his claws and skimmed against a tree. “Flawed!” He slammed the ground. “And deceitful!” Lawrence backed away with each blow, struggling to find an opening against the maddened Zoroark.

    Arthus swept Lawrence’s legs and pinned the Lucario’s arms to the ground. “It’s thanks to you that Cassia died!” He raised a claw, aiming it at Lawrence’s heart.

    “Father!”

    Arthus stopped inches away from the killing blow. His head snapped up to see Cassia standing at the fringe of the woods and the clearing, her drenched fur billowing in the growing gale.

    He stood straight, allowing Lawrence to scramble back to his feet and to Cassia. Arthus took a single step forward. “You’re alive…I thought you died…when you travelled through the Life.”

    Thunder boomed across the sky. Cassia lowered her gaze and said, “Let me talk to my father. Now.”

    Lawrence leaned close and hissed, “What are you doing? He nearly killed me!”

    Arthus’ head jerked to the left, then to the right. He seethed and pulled at his mane. “No, no, no! You’re ruining everything!” He jerked back to the left. “Cassia! I’m here!”

    Cassia held on to Arthus’ hands. “Fight him! Fight the shadow! Come back!”

    Lawrence stepped back, horrified. “What is wrong with him?”

    Arthus’ head snapped to the right, then he grabbed Cassia’s hands and bellowed, “What have you done?” He snapped to the left and pushed her away, falling to the ground. “It’s too late for me! You have to go, now!”

    Cassia returned to him and tried to help him back to his feet. “No! It’s not too late! You can still come back!”

    Arthus snapped back to the left and snarled, then clawed Cassia’s arm. She grunted and backed away, holding the injured limb.

    Lawrence pulled her away and held her close. “What is he doing?”

    Arthus spasmed a moment longer, then fell still. Cassia wheezed a sigh of relief. “Arthus—the real Arthus—is coming back.”

    Lawrence dwelled on this, but soon looked back to the clearing. “Has everyone made it out?”

    “Yes, everyone. I was going to run out to you and—” Her eyes widened. She held onto Lawrence’s arm. “Where’s Matheus?”

    Arthus gasped and sat upright, his eyes closed as he breathed. Cassia broke away from Lawrence and sat next to him. Lawrence reluctantly followed as Arthus held his head.

    Cassia sat close and said, “Dad…are you alright?”

    He sat still. The rains pelted their fur. The Legends marched closer. The ground shook.

    Arthus slowly opened his eyes. “Yes…” They opened wide, revealing their cold, malevolent nature. He pushed Cassia and Lawrence away and stood straight. “He’s dead!” He reared on Cassia and snarled, “That weak, idiotic fool won’t stop me anymore!

    Cassia grabbed onto his arm and cried, “No! No, he isn’t gone! He can’t be!”

    Lawrence came to his feet and surged Aura into his paws. Arthus whirled around and threw Cassia into Lawrence, sending them both sprawling. He faced the Tree of Life and crouched for one final sprint.

    “Arthus!”

    A silver blur bashed into Arthus and rolled across the ground, binding him with his limbs. Matheus bound him with his body, each rendered immobile by the other. The Seal lay buried between them, wrapped around Arthus’ neck and hidden behind his back.

    Matheus grunted and growled as he fought against Arthus, his muscles tight and strained. “Go! I’ll keep him down!”

    Lawrence and Cassia came to their feet, distressed. “We’re not leaving without you!” Lawrence cried. Cassia stood in shock at what Arthus had become.

    Krreeeaaaaww!

    At the triumphant cry, a rush of wind flowed from the east. They all now knew that the Legends had finished their work, and now were turning back to Deitae to complete the Day of Desolation.

    Arthus gnashed his teeth, attempting to bite Matheus’ paws. “Let me go! I can stop this! All of it! I can save everyone!”

    “Lawrence has already done that!” Matheus spat. He glared at the younger Lucario and Zoroark. “The Legends will be here in moments. You have to leave, now!”

    Despite the logic of Matheus’ command, Lawrence shook his head, tears brimming his eyes. “We can’t leave you to die.”

    “Father…” Cassia whimpered, staring at the savage face of Arthus’ shadow.

    Matheus narrowed his eyes, all anger gone from them. “I want to die. I want to see Laryon and the rest of my family again.’ He rolled his head back over Arthus’, restraining his neck. “And I want to make up for the biggest mistake I ever made.” He looked back at Lawrence. “Go…take care of Cassia and everyone else. They’ll need you in your world. They don’t need me.”

    Lawrence cringed, squeezing his eyes shut. He briefly nodded, then ran around the former Legend and took Cassia with him, leaving him to restrain Arthus despite the coming death. She reached back toward them and screamed, “Father!”

    Fissures opened around Lawrence’s feet, Groudon’s fury encroaching the continent early. Trees fell all around him as he desperately charged toward the clearing, narrowly outrunning the desolation. He never faltered despite his vision blurred by rain and tears, all the way to the Tree of Life.

    At the edge, the wormhole warped and tore the air around it, growing more unstable with each passing moment. The wind and rain blinded Lawrence as he charged toward it, the warping, twisted light his only guide. Cassia looked up at the sky gasped, noticing the great dragons of Equivos swarming across the sky and gathering light into their maws.

    Lawrence dragged Cassia with him to the portal, the ground breaking underneath them. The wormhole cracked with yellow light, splintering under the dimensional energies. It glowed bright white and squealed, the funnel swirling too fast to see.

    The dragons sent their attacks down on the continent, sending a wave of fire and immolation into the air. It blew Cassia into Lawrence, sending both of them into the exploding wormhole, winking out of the decimated world.

    ~~~~

    The dragons flew overhead, and Arthus’ struggle to come free became more desperate and frantic. “It’s not too late. It’s not too late!”

    Matheus panted haggardly, tiring from Arthus’ struggle. “It is, Arthus. You failed.”

    “No!” Arthus shifted and faced Matheus, eyes wide with panic. “I can’t go! I can’t! I must save everyone!” His voice became a whisper as he suddenly stopped. “I…I just want my family back.”

    The fire descended upon the continent and Matheus gazed into Arthus’ eyes, smiling. “And you will.” He closed his eyes, and the orange wave of pure energy enveloped them, becoming a bright white as they turned to nothingness—just as the rest of Equivos.

    ~~~~

    Light.

    Pure light.

    All that could be seen was pure light.

    Standing in the brightness, Lawrence struggled to see, turning about. “Cassia?”

    “Lawrence?”

    Lawrence turned to the source of her voice and saw her dark fur. He shuffled forward, unsure of whatever lay on the ground.

    They finally met, their hearts racing from their escape. They held each other warily, unsure of their environment. “Where are we?” Cassia asked.

    Lawrence cautiously looked around. “I…don’t know. I’ve never seen any place like this.”

    They remained quiet for a moment. Cassia lowered her head. “Matheus…Arthus…they’re…they’re gone.”

    Lawrence swallowed, his throat tightening. He made a shuddering sigh, lowering his head. “I…I wanted to save them…but…but Matheus”

    Cassia set a hand against his face, forcing a smile. “It—it was his choice.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “He was always reckless…and Arthus.” She fell into Lawrence’s shoulder and sobbed. Together, they mourned for the loss of their dear friend, and Cassia’s lost ancestor, in the vast emptiness of white.

    “Do not sorrow, my children.”

    They both looked up and turned to witness a marvelous sight. A magnificent Pokémon with pure white fur and golden appendages towered over them, looking down with gentle, scarlet eyes. Green gems sparkled on the arc around his chest, and his hooves hovered with splendid grace, their tips just above the floor.

    Cassia and Lawrence struggled for the word, but each managed to say it: “Arceus.”

    Arceus made no motion, his fur flowing despite the lack of wind. “My servant has completed his work and returned to rest within the Tree of Life. His loss will be felt, but rest knowing he is at peace.” He lifted a hoof. “And now, the Arceist Tome is fulfilled. The Day of Desolation has passed, and the children who are faithful have passed on to inhabit another of my worlds.” He focused on Lawrence and seemed to smile. “Do not fear, Lawrence; your unbelief of your youth is forgiven. I will no longer remember when you come to be judged.”

    Cassia broke away from Lawrence and knelt before him. Lawrence followed, feeling a greater warmth in his chest than he ever had before. The Legend took no notice. “You may speak in my presence, children.”

    Cassia slowly looked up, eyes wide. “What…what is this place?”

    “A world yet to be created,” Arceus replied. “One that has no time or place with the others in existence.” He lowered his hoof. “I have brought you here to congratulate you for your continued faith in me. Among all my children, none have shown so great as yours.” He looked sadly at Cassia. “I sorrow for the many pains you suffered through your life and am pleased to see you still hold me close to your heart.” He turned to Lawrence. “And you as well, despite your troubled past.”

    Although pleased to hear such praise from his creator, Lawrence felt a question nagging at his mind. “Arceus…why did you let Arthus become the Pokémon he was?”

    “He was such a good Pokémon…before he changed,” Cassia added, her ears drooping.

    Arceus lowered his head and looked away. “As with all my children who fall away, I felt a great loss. He could have been the receiver of many blessings, yet he chose to reject them, believing that I failed to do what was necessary to have a perfect world.” He turned back to Lawrence and Cassia. “But let me ask you, my children: if I had forced Arthus to change, or had intervened to stop him on his path, would the belief of my children be made on faith, or on certainty? Would I have been any better than Arthus in forcing everyone to choose me? Would everyone really do what I desire them if I showed myself to all? Would I be seen as benevolent and just if I had killed someone because of their unbelief in me?”

    Neither could argue with his logic. Sensing other concerns, Arceus continued, “Even if I intervened to halt his senseless killing of everyone he loved and more, it would go against the plan I laid for this world and the others I have: allowing them choice. Follow me, and they are given blessings. Otherwise, they choose a life of sadness and grief, all through the others that have chosen the same path. My followers at times suffer such grief, but the grief they bear is nothing compared to the happiness they hold.” He glared at them. “Do not ask his fate. He has defied me in many ways, even going so far as to use my own tool against me. He will be punished, far more than any others who had defied me. But he is also a conflicted, broken child.”

    “But what about everyone he killed? Their choice to live was taken from them,” Cassia interjected, feeling guilty for contradicting her creator.

    Arceus remained still. “There is also the matter of those that Hoopa never saved; despite the efforts of my servant, even he couldn’t save them. Even still, there are those who were unable to hear your voice. What of them?” Cassia paled, realizing her imperfect coverage of Serenita.

    He raised his head higher. “Those who died before their time who would have accepted me, and even those who had their choice taken from them, shall still reside with me in the Tree of Life. Only those who would reject me in any circumstance are isolated from me.”

    He shook his head. “Do not dwell on such matters. Now, you must look to the future that the world of man holds for those of Equivos.”

    Lawrence rubbed his head, groaning. “Right…Hanson. He’s going to—” His head jolted up. “He’s going to use them. Make them slaves.” He grabbed Cassia’s arm staring at her. “I can’t let that happen!” He looked down at himself and sighed. “But…he’ll just use me too. I’m a Pokémon just like you, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

    Arceus raised his hoof again. “When you first passed through the barrier that separates the dimensions, I changed you to be the way you are. From your human self, to the Lucario you now are.” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you now know why?”

    Lawrence considered his question, thinking deeply. “I…I used to hate Pokémon. I thought they were just beasts to study, to help us in time of need…but little more.” He held up his paw, studying it. “When I became a Pokémon, I thought it was the greatest irony, to be the very thing I loathed.” He smiled, turning his paw around. “But then I saw the wonder of Pokémon. I saw that they were really no different from me. At home, they could become the best of companions and act just as we would. But in Equivos, they can stand with us as equals.” He clenched his paw and lowered it. “You changed me to make me realize how wrong I was. I would never have listened to Cassia if I was human. I would never have talked to everyone like a friend. I needed to change, not just as a person, but as a whole.”

    Arceus smiled, his eyes still narrowed. “And now that you have experienced life as Lucario, do you wish to remain one?”

    Lawrence’s jaw fell. “You mean…you mean, I can go back?” Arceus nodded. He stared down at himself, holding up his paws again. “I…I would like to see myself again…have my fingers, my face…everything. It’s who I am.”

    He turned to Cassia, who smile faltered as he spoke. His own fell away. “But…if I turn back…” He held Cassia’s hand. “I could never be with her…at least, not in the way I’d like.” She beamed.

    He cringed, closing his eyes. “But I can’t leave Valence, or help everyone else, if I remain a Lucario.” He let go of Cassia’s hand, and both stared at each other, dwelling on the prospects.

    After a long moment, Lawrence slowly turned back, his mind set. “Arceus…you gave me the option…” He bowed to him. “But I will let you choose. Whatever you see fit for me, I will follow.”

    Arceus’ eyes opened, and he nodded. “Very well. You have indeed changed from before you entered Equivos.” He regarded Cassia, who fought the urge to kneel once more. “And you, Priestess…do you wish to follow Lawrence, whatever path he follows?”

    Unflinching, Cassia nodded. “I’d love for him to stay as he is…” She faced him. “But as long as I’m with him, I will follow him.”

    Arceus nodded again, lifting his hoof higher. “Both of you have passed my test to prove your faith by leaving your lives in my hands.” Tendrils of light erupted from his arc and surrounded them, causing them to glow. “Your fates have been intertwined ever since you were born. And now, they will be closer, with each following the other.” He held his hoof high, and Cassia and Lawrence both glowed intensely. “Save my children, Keeper and Priestess, with my blessing and gift.” He stamped his hoof, engulfing the world in light. The mortals felt a change, only it felt soothing, pure…welcome.

    Just as Arceus had been in their lives.
     
    Last edited:
    Chapter 27: Turning
  • If you have any questions relating to the world of Equivos, feel free to send a question to this thread, The Region of Equivos--A PMD Universe.

    Act 5: The Aftermath
    Chapter 27: Turning


    Darkness.

    All he saw was darkness.

    He felt heavy, as if he had been through a great ordeal, only it had happened instantaneously.

    He forced his eyes to open, his vision blurry in the dim light. He lay on a pad in an empty room, free of instruments and furniture. As his vision cleared, he saw a light buzzing overhead, and a series of windows revealing a dark, technological underworld, full of whirring machinery. The buzzing seemed quieter, duller, as if his hearing had worsened. The smell of oil and smoke also seemed muted compared to his previous experience.

    He craned his head up to see through the window better. He felt a chill in his arms and legs, despite not usually having one. He rubbed his face to rid the tiredness from his eyes.

    He stopped.

    He held out his hand, noticing the pearlescent, smooth, sturdy fabric that covered it. The digits were long and well defined, unlike the paws he remembered.

    His breathing grew heavy. He carefully pulled off the glove, studying the furless, pale hand underneath. He pressed it against his face, feeling no snout, no fur. Only a mouth, nose, and eyes.

    He passed his hand through his hair, a long, unkempt brown mess. His elation rose as it fell from his fingers, unlike the short, velvety fur that covered him for over a month. He looked down and saw himself in the same white suit he had entered Equivos in, perfectly clean and shiny, even in the low light.

    He looked up and gasped. “Which means—"

    A shout echoed from the window to his left. Others followed, each furious in their cries. Lawrence shakily stood up, unused to the balance of his former self. He shuffled toward the window and froze.

    A dozen guards surrounded an Ambipom as he threw punches everywhere, but the Mightyena forced him into a cage with an infant Aipom. His shouts were drowned out by the cries of the more Pokemon were forced into cages, all to be carried away.

    Lawrence’s jaw fell. “No…” He looked to the left and breathed in sharply. Two Machoke each took one of Cassia’s arms as she was dragged across the room, each listening to the shouts of their masters. He mane trailed along the ground, her eyes closed and head bowed. She soon panned out of view, her dark, Zoroark fur clutched in the arms of the Machoke.

    Lawrence’s heart beat rapidly. Sweat beaded on his brow. “She’s…she’s…” His face hardened. “They can’t do this.” He turned around and marched toward the door, finding renewed strength. “They can’t do this!”

    He slammed open the door, his eyes locking with an elderly man in a suit. His eyes squinted up from a book in his lap, his white hair flowing over his bald crown. The ruby around his neck glinted in the flickering light, matching the smart, black suit he wore, and the crimson tie underneath the coat.

    The man grinned, shutting the book. “High time you woke up!” He pushed himself up and heartily took Lawrence’s hand, shaking it vigorously. “Thanks to you, Valence Tech will rise to new heights!” He pulled Lawrence’s tense arm closer and muttered, “And under such strenuous conditions. I have no idea how you survived there for as long as you did, but rest assured that you will be handsomely compensated for it.”

    Lawrence didn’t reply, scarcely restraining his anger toward President Hanson. “Let Cassia and everyone else go!” he wanted to scream, but he knew that such an action could lead to nothing. For now, if he wanted to reason with Hanson, he had to force himself to say, “Thank you.” He looked back at the window. “What will happen to them?” he asked with barest restraint.

    Hanson cocked his head, his continually squinting eyes contorting in confusion. “The Equivos Pokemon?” He waved his hand, shaking his head. “Don’t know why you’re so concerned, considering their savage nature.” He folded his hands behind his back and cleared his throat. “Don’t worry; they are being put into holding cells as we speak. Within hours, we will begin the research and experimentation phase.”

    He wrapped an arm around Lawrence and guided him away from the door, their footsteps clapping against the coarse concrete. “You know, I thought you wouldn’t make it because of the instability of the wormhole. After that Dusknoir came through, it was warping so much that it threatened to destroy the facility.” He smiled, looking across to Lawrence. “But you managed to come through with a Zoroark—quite a rare specimen. You’ve only been asleep for several minutes while we took care of it.” He turned back toward the hallway, grim. “That Ambipom was making things difficult…along with some others.” He shook his head gently. “There’s always complications, but they’ll soon be gone. They are just Pokemon after all.”

    Lawrence carefully hissed through his teeth. “They aren’t just Pokemon…”

    Hanson patted Lawrence’s shoulder, chuckling. “Regardless, they will make excellent subjects for Project Babel.”

    A cry of anguish echoed through the hallway. Lawrence tightened his fist. “What are your plans for the project?”

    Hanson looked up thoughtfully. “We’ll likely spend the next several months, or years even, on extracting the DNA sequence from these Pokemon that allows them to speak. Then it will be used to create a serum or machine capable of granting our Pokemon speech capabilities.” He smiled wide, his eyes opening. He lowered his arms, staring out into space, breathing deeply. “After mass production and distribution, we will have a world with perfect communication between man and Pokemon.”

    Lawrence realized that Hanson couldn’t simply be convinced to release the Equivosians; he not only had a profit in mind from them, but also an ambition, one that he seemed entirely devoted to.

    Lawrence forced himself to calm, then said, “Is there any way to do this without harming them?”

    Hanson’s eyes squinted again, and he eyed Lawrence with suspicion. “Why so concerned? From my observations, you saw Pokemon as savages, like myself. There’s no humanity in them, so why should it matter?”

    Lawrence never remembered being willing to harm Pokemon, but he did remember his previous views on Pokemon and regretted them. ‘I was right that this world’s Pokemon weren’t supposed to be treated like people, but the Arcean Texts never said that; it was meant to make way for the Equivosians. Everyone else never realized that—only I made it a reason to leave Arceus.’

    Hanson looked away, disinterested. “I can’t guarantee they won’t be harmed while we extract their DNA. But after it is set on the assembly lines, we’ll show them to the world as part of the advertising campaign of Project Babel. They will be assurance that the project will work for their Pokemon.”

    “But that’s a lie! I brought them from Equivos!” Lawrence fumed, wondering how extensively Hanson planned this entire scheme.

    Hanson held up a finger and smirked. “The public won’t know that. We’ll use the completed Project on our own Pokemon, yes, but why not use Pokemon that have already been prepared?” He focused his eyes on Lawrence again. “And if you really are concerned about their fate afterward, they’ll be given the best life we can offer: food, enclosures, nests, toys—everything needed to make Pokemon happy.” He turned away and shrugged. “Who knows? We might be able to integrate them with our own Pokemon. We could find them owners and train them, just like any other.”

    Lawrence grinded his teeth, scarcely believing his employer. ‘They aren’t like ours! They can’t be forced to live that life!’ He slowly let out his breath, watching Hanson smile and wave to a few engineers walking by. ‘You might seem like a good person, but you’re not. You don’t care about Pokemon, least of all Equivos. You and your company.’

    A long window extended to their left, revealing the massive warehouse that Facility D housed. He stopped to study the whirring machine lifts and workers rushing back and forth, all working to carry the cages that housed the Pokemon they captured. Their cells were formed into a rough rectangle, stacking on top of one another in a jigsaw, accommodating all sizes of Pokemon. And sitting on the highest cage, gently lowering onto the top of the others, was a Zoroark, clutching a set of bags in her arms.

    Lawrence held onto the railing beneath the window, focusing on Cassia. She stared at the floor of the cage, looking down at the Pokemon she had saved from destruction. She looked around her, watching the alien people cross by her, all shouting various orders to their subordinates. She looked up, staring at the window. Her eyes widened.

    Lawrence cringed, leaning closer to her. “Cassia…” he whispered.

    Their eyes met, and Cassia put a hand over her mouth. She looked away and hid her face, her back rising and falling with her heaving.

    Hanson stood next to Lawrence, scrutinizing his crestfallen face. “What is the matter? They are being given the best treatment possible in the current situation. We were expecting only a dozen at most when you first entered Equivos, not over two thousand!”

    Realizing his mistake, Lawrence stood straight and forced himself to look away from Cassia. “Please, e-excuse me. I’m just…I’m just feeling tired, that’s all.”

    Hanson didn’t move. “Considering what you’ve been through, I’m not surprised.” He gave the cages another glance, then turned around, pacing toward the door at the end of the hallway.

    Lawrence turned back toward the Cassia, who still covered her face. “I’ll get you out,” he assured her, knowing she couldn’t hear him. “You and everyone else.” He stared for a few moments longer, then returned to Hanson, passing through the door.

    The dark environment brightened, no longer so grim and forbidding. To the left of the simple lamp hanging from the ceiling, the elevator doors waited for service, while to the left, two doors marked ‘Men’s’ and ‘Women’s’ stood, perpendicular to the doors Lawrence and Hanson came from.

    Hanson waved to the Men’s room. “Go on and get freshened up; I’ll have your belongings sent down from your station.”

    Lawrence strode past him, pushing open the door. Hanson’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh, and by the way…” Lawrence stopped.

    Hanson set a hand on Lawrence’s shoulder. “I made sure to take care of your finances while you were gone. It wouldn’t be right to have you go through trivial matters after your ordeal.” His hand slid off, then he walked to the elevator and pressed the up button.

    Lawrence continued into the room, feeling no kindness from Hanson’s gesture. The concrete of the facility changed to pristine white tiles. Going around the corner of the door, bathroom stalls and urinals lined the left and sinks with mirrors lined the right. Beyond them, a massive wall of lockers stretched, prepared for the hundreds of employees under Hanson’s control. All of it was lit with elongated light bulbs, seeming brighter due to the slight smell of bleach and cleaner.

    He walked into the locker room and looked to the left, where showers rose from a massive web of walls, none in use. He wove through the lockers, searching for his own—then realized he had forgotten the number.

    He groaned in frustration, not surprised to have forgotten it with all that happened. He almost went out of the locker room altogether, then noticed a neat pile of clothing sitting on a bench, a note on top of it.

    He gathered his clothes—remembering them to be his own—then read the note:

    Lawrence,

    I had my janitors take out your clothes after we assumed you to be gone, but I had them sent here when we heard you were alive. Nothing has been taken, I assure you; I would trust my employees with my life.

    Aaron Hanson

    Despite his thankfulness, Lawrence couldn’t forgive Hanson in the slightest.

    He went into the closest shower and pulled the door shut, finding a mirror on the other side of it. He saw his face and how alien it appeared after being a Lucario for so long—the small, round nose; the angular chin; his dark blue eyes and the brown eyebrows above them. All of it contrasting the subtle, handsome features of a Lucario.

    He pulled off the top of his suit and stared at his chest and arms. Toned muscles replaced the thin body from before his time in Equivos, as if the training he had undergone as a Lucario had somehow transferred into this body—almost as a gift from Arceus, now that he thought about it.

    He passed his hand over the smooth skin on his left arm, then came to his wrist and stopped. On the underside, he felt a strange, raised section at the base of his hand. He flipped it over and saw the fleshy, pink arc of Arceus, roughly two inches across. It was intrinsically etched into his wrist and raised into being.

    Lawrence considered the reason for such a symbol, feeling a strange want to touch the center. His finger hovered over it, then his mind abruptly shifted to the task at hand: cleaning himself. He left the mark alone and finished undressing, then took a long, hot shower in the stall. But he felt no peace.

    His indignation toward Hanson now cooled, he considered what he could do to break the Equivosians free from their prison. But his mind kept returning to the mark, and Arceus’ promise to him: “Your fates have been intertwined ever since you were born. And now, they will be closer, with each following the other.” Surely, he couldn’t have meant only one of them changing? With them apart, with one imprisoned and the other free?

    He closed his eyes and thought of the surest sign of her love toward her: Aura. He wanted its warmth to comfort him, to bring assurance that not all his Lucario self had gone. But none came. He was as human as he was before he left.

    He turned off the shower and dried himself, then dressed in the clothes he left behind, wincing as the fabric contacted his bare skin. He shook his head free of the feeling as he zipped up the blue jacket over his green collared shirt, then walked out of the locker room in his jeans and brown shoes.

    He pushed open the door as he brushed back his hair, taming the wild mess that he woke up with. Hanson waited at the elevator with a black bag in his hand, and two guards in navy outfits stood behind him, each with three Pokeballs at their belts.

    Hanson smiled in satisfaction as Lawrence approached them. “Good to see you back; the white of that outfit was a tad overdone.” He held the bag out to him. “Here’s everything from your station. I watched the guards myself to make sure nothing was taken.”

    Lawrence accepted it, then Hanson looked up at the two burly men behind him. “Given your experience, I thought it best to give you a week paid vacation. It is only fair.” His positive expression suddenly turned serious. “But I warn you: don’t say a thing about this project. We can’t have the public know there are Pokemon that can talk…or their origin.” One of the guards plucked a ball from his side and tossed it in the air, catching it threateningly.

    Hanson stepped away from the elevator, and the guards followed. “Oh, and don’t come back until your vacation is over,” Hanson added. The other guard lifted a Pokeball and tossed it in the same manner as the other.

    Lawrence nonchalantly walked past them, hiding the confirmation that he knew he wasn’t welcome. He pushed the elevator’s button, entered, then shot up into the main lobby, leaving Hanson and his beloved project. He then exited the quiet, pristine lobby of Valence Tech, and entered nighttime Castelia.

    He strode past the bronze statue of the Pokedex 2.0 and entered the main walkway, orange lights flickering over his path. No one but Lawrence crossed the sidewalks—no cars hummed, no Pokemon called, and no people came. Sewage, gasoline and grease hung faintly in the air, evidence of the traffic hours earlier. The unusual quiet joined with the eerie dominance of the skyscrapers in the sky, replacing the trees and mountains of Arceus’ design.

    Lawrence looked around him, the bag bouncing on his back. ‘This…this isn’t right,’ he thought. ‘I don’t belong here. I need trees…’ He looked up, the stars invisible from the various lights of the city. ‘I need clear skies.’ He passed a sign advertising the Pokedex 2.0. ‘I need isolation…’

    The edge of Castelia became visible on his left, and Lawrence stopped. He stared at the horizon, the black night and sea joining as a single entity. ‘I need Equivos.’ He turned back onto his path. ‘I need…home.’

    He reached his apartment building and ascended the stairs, then opened the door. The door slowly swung outward, and as he entered, he studied the place he had called ‘home’: the solitary couch and TV, the underused kitchen, the unappealing bathroom, and the near-empty bedroom. All inside a space no more than thirty feet across.

    Lawrence’s chest ached. ‘Do I really live here?’ He swept his hand across the counter, still clean. ‘Why would I want this place? Why did I work for Valence?’ He pulled out his Pokedex from his pocket, opening it. He tapped on ‘Call’ and swiped to ‘Missed Calls’; his parents had left over fifty since he had gone.

    He sat on the couch and set his bag next to him, then tapped on his parents’ picture, calling them. ‘Why did I leave behind what made me happy?’

    The phone continued to ring, until it suddenly showed a large, scruffy man and the woman next to him. Each wore large, broad-brimmed hats, and their faces were streaked with sweat.

    “Lawrence!” they both exclaimed in relief. “We’ve been trying to call you for the past month! Where in Arceus’ name have you been?” Lawrence’s mother continued.

    Lawrence’s throat grew tighter. “Mom…”

    His father pushed a little closer. “And why are you calling now? It’s the middle of the day over here! We’re usually outside, but…after you didn’t pick up, we’ve been taking more breaks...hoping you’d call.” He pulled off hat, his bald head shining in the bright light. He noticed Lawrence’s pained expression. “Son…what’s wrong?”

    Lawrence struggled to keep his voice even as he said, “I had to go somewhere…somewhere far away. I…I made new friends…saw new places…” A tear rolled down his face. “But I didn’t realize until I left how much I missed you. I…I couldn’t call you from where I was. It was so much like Sinnoh: the trees, the mountains…everything.” He wiped his hand over his eyes. “I can’t work with Valence anymore…I can’t live here anymore…not after being in that place.”

    His parents fell quiet. A Tauros lowed behind them, and several passed behind the window. His mother leaned closer, sympathetic. “We missed you Lawrence…even before you left. Talking to you once a day was never enough, but then we couldn’t see you at all.” His father hugged her, rocking her. “Can you…can you come visit us? You’ve already been gone for years, and you’ve never come back. Can you now?”

    Lawrence nodded, slowly at first, but then gradually faster. “Yes…yes I will.” Despite his joy of going back, he felt a stabbing pain in his chest. “Mom, Dad…about how I’ve been…with the Arceists.”

    His parents looked at each other, then his mother said, “I know how hard it’s been, and I’m sure you have questions…but we’re not the ones to talk about it with you.” She weakly smiled. “Remember that little church in Castelia…the one we kept telling you about?”

    Lawrence blinked. He pulled his bag closer and sifted through the unimportant employee material and found what mattered: a brochure emblazoned with the arc of Arceus, labeled, ‘Arceism: A Belief Fit for All!’.

    Lawrence turned back to his parents. “Yeah…I remember.” He flipped it over, revealing the address of the closest building and its owner. “I’ll go get some things, and…and I’ll visit.”

    ~~~~

    In Facility D, the Equivosians huddled together in their cages, avoiding eye contact with the guards who forcefully shoved them in. Their Mightyena and Arcanine prowled around it, watching for anyone who dared to try and escape. The Equivosians, however, held no faith that they could, what with their Keeper gone and their home destroyed. Now all that awaited them was the dark and oppressive Valence Tech and their dreams of granting speech to all the Pokemon in their world.

    Cassia sat in the topmost cage, staring at the iron floor beneath her. Her bag sat in her lap, while the supply pouch she had worked to distribute lay at her side, its contents untouched. In the corner of the cage was a metal bowl filled with brown chunks of grainy substance that smelled vaguely of meat. She dared not try it.

    The Zoroark’s mind wasn’t focused on food, or even the loss of her friends and home. She thought only of the human that looked down from above, longingly, like he wanted to come to her. She recognized his face, from when he had shown her long ago. Lawrence Stephenson, a human. And herself, a Pokemon.

    “Hey.”

    She looked down the bars and saw Lonny Ambipom pressed up against the ceiling of his own. His little Aipom lay nestled in his arms, sleeping uneasily.

    He held up some of the brown chunks and narrowed his eye. “Don’t try this stuff. I learned the hard way.” He tossed it to the corner of his cage and slumped against the bars, groaning. "And here I thought we’d be in paradise.” He spat in the corner. “And we’ve got no idea where Lawrence is.” He sighed again, looking down at his son. “Do you think that he might have…betrayed us?”

    Cassia shook her head in astonishment. “What, no! He wouldn’t!” His human body returned to her mind, and her features twisted into doubt. “He…he loves me…he loves everyone.”

    Gardner continued to stare. “He might’ve changed back on the return and sold us out. He doesn’t seem like the sort of guy to do something like that, but considering the circumstances..." He closed his eye and shook his head. "This isn’t what I thought his world would be like. I was expecting open skies at the least. Not this.”

    Cassia held up her right wrist, tracing the white fur that now cropped on it. The arc of Arceus shown prominently through it, leaving a raised impression in her skin. She had no idea why she had it, but she expected Arceus to have an explanation. That is, if she could talk with him again.

    Crrreak!

    The door of a cage swung open and two Machoke lunged for the Bibarel inside. The hapless Pokemon was dragged by his arms, his beady eyes darting everywhere. “Where’re you takin’ me? Tell me, please! I thought this was supposed to be a paradise fer us, not this!” The Machoke took no notice of his pleas, continuing past the circle of guards to an unseen corridor of Facility D.

    Cassia clutched her wrist, horrified. “Arceus preserve us.” The Pokemon below her murmured, each wondering if they were the next to be taken. Children were held by their parents, wondering if Arceus truly wanted them to be in this forsaken place.

    Cassia looked down at her bag, focusing on the book that lay visible within. She carefully pulled it out, revealing the final copy of the Arceist Tome. She opened it and studied its pages, a sense of peace overcoming her as she read.

    Slowly, carefully, she read aloud, and the murmuring stopped. Despite the grinding and whirring surrounding them, her voice rang out beautifully and clearly, projecting the Creator’s message of peace and goodwill to all his creations, human and Pokemon alike. She started from the beginning, the creation of Equivos, and read on through the ages, recounting the vast tale of the region to its final survivors. The peace she felt spread to them, and despite the danger that awaited them, they felt that all would be well in the end.

    ~~~~

    In a circular room in a lower level of the facility, Hanson watched as men in white lab coats tuned machinery and prepared wires around a large chair with straps, the screens around them blank and ready for listing information. The deafening noise outside was muted, leaving them to work in relative peace.

    Hanson couldn’t stop himself from smiling, despite the fact he knew it unsettled his employees. ‘A world full of Pokemon that can speak. A way to not only add to the world, but truly change it.’

    He thought back to his youth, when he tinkered with circuitry leftover from computers and Pokeballs in an attempt to create a successful product. Not until years later, when he produced the Poketch, did he succeed. He was successful, but he saw little impact from it; people used it, but it made no meaningful change to their lives.

    He pushed himself and others to create the Pokedex 1.0 years after that, and later the 2.0. Now everyone is interconnected with one another, using the universal remote to complete all they must. He had made a difference, but many still went on through life without its advantage, instead staying true to their ways before the new modern age.

    And now, years after resolving to change the world, he could do it. Everyone, young and old, man and woman, would buy speech for their beloved Pokemon. And no one could create a competitor.

    He chuckled, imagining the perfect world further. ‘No need for sign language or translators, just have a Pokemon tell you what’s wrong. How much easier could life get?’

    The doors behind him burst open and a pair of Machoke carrying a Bibarel entered, strapping him into the chair. They exited, and Hanson clapped his hands together. “Time to work, everyone! The sooner, the better!”

    An aged, balding scientist hobbled over as his associates placed wires on the blubbering Bibarel. He anxiously swallowed and said, “Are you sure this is…ethical? I mean, he seems as intelligent as you or me.”

    Hanson set a hand on the man’s shoulder, tightening his grip. “Doctor Vaun, they’re just Pokemon. We’ve done this before with other subjects, and you had no qualms."

    "But this is different. They never spoke or—”

    “We must ensure the machine works, no matter the circumstances.” Hanson flashed Vaun a dark look. “Are we clear?”

    Vaun nodded reluctantly, then shouted orders to his subordinates. A generator began to spin, and the Bibarel cried out in pain as the process began.

    Hanson turned away and closed his eyes, grimacing. “A needed sacrifice, but a regrettable one nonetheless.” He pushed past the stricken employees and entered the elevator, it’s door closing. He looked up, remembering his dream. “But it is a small one to bring unity to all.”

    ~~~~

    Lawrence crossed the streets of Castelia, looking at the back of the closed brochure. He occasionally glanced up passing the numbers and street signs of the various towers until he came across a sign labeled ‘Reshiram Boulevard’. He turned left, a small black book in his hands, imprinted with three golden words: ‘The Arcean Texts’.

    He came to number 255 and saw a tiny house squished between two apartment complexes. Lights shined behind the windows, and the arc on top of the spire on the roof glowed a soft yellow. The soft red paint on its walls seemed to invite him in, despite the late hour.

    He ascended the steps slowly, feeling guilty for avoiding the church for so long. He went to knock on the wooden door decorated with the Legends of the world but stopped when he saw it open a crack.

    He pushed it open the rest of the way and entered a darkened chapel, the bulbs in its chandeliers off. Rows of pews extended toward the stand at the front, which had a podium and rows of chairs behind it. An organ sat to the left of it, and to the right was a donation box, stuck between the corner of the chapel and the entrance to a foyer. Light poured out from within.

    Lawrence walked toward it, passing his hands on the tops of the pews. He remembered the meetings he had when he was young, how the Pokemon sat with their masters on the pews to listen to the priest and those he had asked to speak that day. Testimonies of those who believed rang out from his mind, and the soothing, yet powerful notes of the organ during the hymns brought peace to even the most troubled soul.

    He stepped into the foyer, where a collection of doors lined the walls, all labeled as ‘Classroom’. A door labeled ‘Library’ stood locked, and the bulletin board to the right had various events listed, all their dates long passed. The light from the lamp in the room emitted a soft, pink glow, and just down the hallway connected to the foyer, Lawrence heard someone cry.

    Concerned, Lawrence approached the hallway, passing various paintings of Arceus and his Legends. In some, he created the world and Pokemon; in others, he stood with his followers against the darkness, his arms holding back the fears that lay so prevalent in the world. They stopped at the end, where a door labeled ‘Office’ lay open, and where the woman could be heard.

    He stood at the open door and saw a red-haired woman in a long, grey coat, piling clothes into a suitcase, fighting back the tears that came. A pull-down bed had numerous papers and books thrown across it, and the desk lay clear, fitting only the massive suitcase that she loaded everything into.

    She stopped briefly, then fell back into the rolling chair behind the desk, sighing. “What am I going to do?”

    Lawrence took a step back, realizing that he likely came at the wrong time. ‘I could go back. But what can I do? I don’t know how to break in, and even if I did pull everyone out, where would they go? Moving two thousand Pokemon out of sight is nearly impossible.’ He shrugged and stepped forward. ‘Until I figure it out, might as well talk to her. He knocked on the open door.

    Erica gasped and stood up from her chair, eyes wide with panic as she turned toward the door. She cocked her head in bewilderment. “Lawrence? What are you doing here this late?” She waved at the mess and sighed, wiping away the tears on her face. “You came at a bad time.”

    Lawrence peeked inside the room, noticing a bag full of hygiene supplies tucked next to the suitcase. “I came by to talk. What are you doing?”

    Erica sat back down on the chair and crossed her arms, then grumbled, “Nice to see someone come here other than me.” She blinked and gave Lawrence a suspicious look. “I thought you hated me? I haven’t been able to see you for the past month, and none of the guys you worked with seemed to know where you were.”

    Lawrence cautiously stepped inside the office, sitting down at the strangely-empty chair in front of the desk. “It’s a long story.” He looked around another time. “Seriously, what’s going on? Are you…moving?”

    Erica stood up and picked up a pile of clothing. “Yes. I haven’t had anyone but a few elderly couples come for the past year, and even they eventually stopped. Without the donations, I couldn’t afford to pay the mortgage, so the bank’s evicting me.” She set the clothes inside the suitcase and picked up a Pokeball on the dresser behind the desk. “I’m a waitress over at the Simisear Grill and Chill, but I could only afford food and supplies for me and Roselia. I was hoping to move back with my mom in Sinnoh, but I don’t have enough money saved up. I’ll have to rent an apartment until I can.” He fingers passed over the button of the ball, decorated with a tiny arc of Arceus. “I really wanted to be a priestess here…” She tucked the ball inside a coat pocket, then patted it. “But I guess there’s just not enough people who believe.”

    She turned back to Lawrence, scowling. “Why am I telling you this? You never cared about me. You never cared about this church or anyone who went to it.”

    Lawrence silently cursed himself and held up his copy of the Arcean Texts. “I just have some things I need to talk with you about. You know about this a lot better than I do, so I need you to help me confirm it.”

    She raised an eyebrow. “Confirm what?”

    Lawrence flipped to a bookmark, scanning the page. “See, I’m technically a member of the church already; I’ve just been inactive for the past seven years. Now I want to start getting into it again, but I want to help correct a big mistake.”

    Erica closed her suitcase and leaned over the desk, curious to see Lawrence’s notes. “What mistake? Is it some policy that the presidency made?”

    “No.” He set the book on her case and pointed at a lengthy passage, where he added his own notes. The sentences were interrupted by large gaps, indicating the portions of the texts that were lost through the years.

    He pointed at the paper and said, “I think I figured out what this is meant to say. I underlined what I think should be added.” Erica studied his changes:

    “And I, the Creator, have made worlds without number, but they do not affect the salvation of this present one. However, one will impact this one upon its end. This world holds my children, just as this one, but contains only Pokemon, and no men. They hold the memories, emotions, and willpower that the men of this world have, and so, must be treated as such. At the conclusion of that world’s journey, these Pokemon will have a new journey within this one. Treat them as men, and they shall treat you as them. Respect all life, but treat the children of Equivos as equals.”

    Erica studied the page, her face unchanging. At the end, she leaned back and interlocked her fingers, shaking her head in disbelief. “This…this is ridiculous. Yes, he created worlds without number, but one with only Pokemon? That can speak? And they’re coming here for some reason?” She blew out her breath and continued, “This changes our longest held belief: to treat Pokemon like ourselves. According to you, we were really supposed to just respect our Pokemon, and treat these Pokemon from ‘Equivos’ as equals—not ours.” She eyed him suspiciously. “Where’d you come up with all of this, and why are you showing it to me?”

    Lawrence passed his hand through his hair, considering the best way he could explain. “Let’s just say that Valence managed to find it, and I…may have brought these Pokemon here.” He winced, hoping that word wouldn’t spread.

    Erica simply stared. “I’d say you’re lying if I didn’t know you were horrible at it.” She stood up and held a hand on her head, scarcely believing it. “This is…just too much.” She dropped her hand and shook her head in defeat. “Why are you telling me this? What can I do? I’m just a waitress-slash-priestess!”

    Lawrence threw his hands in the air. “I don’t know either! Look, Valence is planning on doing something with the Pokemon from Equivos, so I have to get them out!” He slapped the brochure on the desk and groaned. “I just want to say sorry for all the times I shrugged you off. My life’s been crazy for the entire month, and I just want to set things right again, even if I sound crazy while doing it.”

    Erica crossed her arms, considering his exclamation. She looked down at the brochure and cocked her head. “Hey, what’s this?” She took out a slip of paper tucked between the folded pages and inspected it. “’Sheffield’? Who’s he? And why’s his number on here?”

    Lawrence blinked. He took the paper and stared at it, remembering the captain’s intrusion well—and his promise.

    He thought of an idea.

    He shot upright and shoved the paper into his pocket, then took Erica’s hand and looked directly at her. “I know this is going to sound strange, but I have a way to get you back home—free of charge.” She jerked slightly, caught off-guard by his gesture and his statement.

    He continued, “I don’t have the time to explain, but get down to the docks and wait for me there. I have a friend who can help.” He darted toward the door.

    She looked down at her hand, then back at Lawrence. “Wait, why are you wanting to help me? Why are you doing any of this? You’re making no sense!”

    He stopped at the door and thought for a moment. “I guess I want to make up for running away from Arceus for so long…and running from you in the process.” He shrugged. “Plus, I wouldn’t want anyone to be stuck here in Castelia. Would you?" He ran down the hallway and burst out the door, his feet clattering down the streets of the city.

    Erica held the side of her face, bowing her head. “Is this really true?” She stood still for a moment, then leaned forward slightly. She stood straight, and a smile slowly crept onto her face.

    “You know…maybe it is.”

    ~~~~

    Lawrence slammed his apartment door closed and pulled out Sheffield’s number. “I hope you like staying up late.” He then pulled out his Pokedex and went to type the seaman’s number. He stopped. He set his Pokedex down on the counter with the number and sighed. “But I still don’t have any idea on how to save Cassia and the others! What am I supposed to do?”

    Touch the arc.

    Lawrence looked around, remembering that soft, quiet voice from when he took pictures of the Arceist Tome. “…Arceus?”

    Touch the arc. Hold it.

    Lawrence pulled back the sleeve of his left wrist, revealing the arc-shaped scar. “Might as well.” He held his right finger against it, and for several seconds, nothing happened.

    A fire burned in his core.

    He pulled his finger away, and his body became absorbed in light.

    He felt himself shift and change, a welcome, if unexpected, feeling.

    The light disappeared, and Lawrence opened his eyes. He looked down.

    A black-furred paw rested on the counter.

    Lawrence gaped, then felt his own face, feeling the snout and ears of a Lucario. He looked down at himself and saw the proportions of a Lucario through his clothing. His legs were notably thinner than before, and he appeared to be taller to compensate for his human form. His feet rose out from his shoes, now with small points of contact, and his tail hung above the rim of his pants.

    Lawrence studied his left paw, studying the white fur that made up the arc of Arceus. He held the arc again, and the same bright light enveloped him. Moments after, he was back to being a human, albeit with his shoes now underneath his feet.

    His mouth hung open, then he closed it and looked up gratefully. “Arceus…thank you. You never separated me from her after all.” He picked up his Pokedex and carefully typed in Sheffield’s number, a plan to rescue Equivos from Valence forming in his mind.
     
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    Chapter 28: Infiltration
  • Chapter 28: Infiltration

    At the top of Valence Tech, a finely decorated office perched atop, as dark as the night seen through the windows. The spacious penthouse held few furnishings, save the desk in the center and the portraits surrounding. Four pillars stood between the corners of the desk and the corners of the room, each with an object implanted in them: a watch-like device, a wide tablet, a sleek tablet, and a picture of a Pikachu speaking gibberish.

    The desk faced the elevator on the far wall, and sitting in the chair behind the desk was Aaron Hanson, hunched over the surface. He gazed at the few belongings he had, his eyes flickering between each. To his right, faded pictures of a boy with a Lillipup, an Axew, a Roggenrola, a Ferroseed, a Rufflet, and a Tepig, standing in front of a woodland town. Next to it was a picture of a young man with fully evolved versions of all them, gathered together in the same positions in front of a gargantuan stone temple, decorated with Pokeballs and the Legends. To his left was a folder, open and showing various newspaper clippings, depicting moments of his past life.

    Hanson looked away from the clippings, now staring at the center of his desk. A disc with six hemispheres on top of it rested on the felt center. Two Pokeballs sat inside them, one with emerald engravings, another with ruby. The remaining four bowls had a gold, onyx, silver, and opal bottom, long covered with dust.

    Hanson’s hand hovered over three of the bowls, shaking. “I am sorry I couldn’t do it before you passed. You were my most trusted companions.”

    The elevator at the far end of the room pinged, and Hanson closed the folder. A man with pale skin and balding hair shuffled inside, the tails of his long, white lab coat trailing the ground. A small metal box rested in his frail hands, held up to his scrawny chest.

    Hanson leaned forward in his seat, looking at the box. “Ah, Doctor Vaun! I assume that the procedure turned out well—for both Pokemon?”

    Vaun adjusted his glasses and set the box on the desk. “W-Well, President Hanson, the subject for the procedure—the Bibarel, as you know—suffered from severe…shock, and fell unconscious. The machine strained is body, nearly to the tipping point.” He patted down his balding hair, stepping away from the desk. “H-However, the Bibarel is recovering well. Within a few days, he may be ready for another.”

    Hanson’s hands hovered over the box, then he sighed and set them down on the desk. “Vaun…this is unacceptable.” Vaun swallowed hard.

    Hanson stood up and paced around the desk, circling Vaun. “As simple as these Pokemon may be, they are still Pokemon. They were displaced from their home dimension hours ago, and thanks to that machine, we nearly lost one of them!” Hanson clamped ah and on Vaun’s shoulder and shook him. “We have the only known population of talking Pokemon! We cannot lose any of them!”

    Vaun’s fingers visibly shook as he pulled is glasses back up to his eyes. “U-U-Understood, sir, but you can’t expect the procedure to work perfectly on the first try. Especially considering that it was developed from deceased—”

    “Yes, yes, I know,” Hanson interrupted, sitting down in his desk once more. “Look, we have to use each Pokemon numerous times in order to have any chance of granting speech to all our consumers’ Pokemon. If we have them nearly die after every treatment, they won’t last for more than several procedures.” He gave Vaun a warning look. “Test it again with a Pokemon that isn’t one of my own, and make sure that the Equivosian doesn’t go under.”

    Vaun nodded vigorously, then turned around, shuffling to the elevator. His head perked up, then he turned back around. “I nearly forgot: that Zoroark that came through with Lawrence is reading from some sort of book. It seems to be a form of scripture for them.”

    Hanson arched an eyebrow. “Really? They have a written language? And a religion as well?” He rubbed his chin momentarily, then stopped. “Make sure she is captured first with the Master Balls I ordered from Kanto; research the book after and see if there’s anything that can be used to help them become more trusting of us.” He narrowed his eyes to thin slits. “And be careful with the balls. As you know, one alone is extraordinarily expensive. Buying enough for all the Equivosian Pokemon cost a fortune.” Vaun nodded once more, then entered the elevator and descended, wringing his clammy hands.

    After a minute, Hanson opened the metal box, revealing a Pokeball with gold engraved into the top. He gingerly lifted it and held it close to his face, closing his eyes. “When we lost, all those years ago, I promised that we would fight again once I fixed our one problem.” He forced a smile as he set the ball in its bowl. “I’ve finally done it, but now no one remembers what I did. I’ve become famous for the inventions I made to better connect with all of you, not for the experiences I had.”

    He glanced outside the window, then lowered his gaze. “I am aware that Pokemon aren’t what most make them out to be: a friend like no other, able to understand you like a person. Years of serving that consumer world taught me that.” He turned back to the Pokeballs, focusing on the gold. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you got me where I am. And now, I’ve repaid you. You shall live to fight another day.”

    ~~~~

    In the dark of Castelia, wheels clattered along the sidewalk panels. A figure in a long brown coat turned visible in the orange street lights, her heels clacking toward the harbor. Only the occasional Purrloin meowed in the alleyways, and the sea beat against the edge of the city—otherwise, it was quiet in the night. The five stone extensions that rose up from the sea were caked with salt and grime, its smell filling the air.

    The red-haired woman stopped several feet from the cement platform that jutted above the dock and panted. She looked below: small fishing vessels and speedboats bobbed next to the docks, tied to them with lengths of thick rope. Wingull roosted on top of them, occasionally calling out to drive off a pushy neighbor.

    The woman pulled out a pink Pokedex from her coat pocket and turned it on. Past the clear window, she saw that the time was 11:20. She tucked it back in and growled, “Where is he?” She stamped her foot and shivered, crossing her arms. “Brr, it’s cold…” She looked around the alleyways, finding nothing. “He said I should meet him here!”

    Clank-clatta-clatta!

    She eeped and twirled around, pulling out a Pokeball from her coat. She focused on the garbage can lid that rolled out from the alleyway, then the Purrloin that sauntered out and mewled, sitting down and licking its paw.

    She sighed in relief, putting her Pokeball back in her pocket. “Thank Arceus. That gave me a scare.” She folded her arms again and muttered, “You better not have pulled a fast one on me, Lawrence!”

    Padded footsteps echoed speedily behind her, and she turned around. A dark shape darted into the alley, then a bright flash shone from it. She drew her Pokeball again, advancing toward it. “Who’s there?” she called out nervously.

    She kept advancing toward it, only a shuffling sound coming out in reply. She kept moving forward, pressing the button on her Pokeball and expanding it from one inch to four. She reared it back, ready to throw.

    A brown-haired man in a blue jacket stumbled out, pulling on his shoes. “There’s got to be—Erica!”

    “Ack!”

    They backed away from each other, Erica nearly dropping her Pokeball. She wheezed, putting a hand to her chest. “What are you doing there!”

    Lawrence kicked his shoe on, looking about. “N-Nothing.” He leaned closer. “Did you…see anything?”

    “I saw some guy run in here and take a picture of something, I don’t know!” Erica exclaimed. “Was that you?”

    Lawrence blew out his breath and nodded. “Yeah…yeah, that was me.”

    Erica groaned, shrinking her Pokeball. “You scared me worse than a Haunter!” She pocketed it and asked, “Why didn’t you come over to me?”

    Lawrence held up his hands defensively. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He looked behind her, noticing her suitcase. “Looks like you’re ready to go.”

    “Go where?”

    Lawrence walked over to the luggage with Erica following. “I called up a friend of mine and asked him to get a liner ready to go to Sinnoh.”

    Erica’s jaw dropped. “A liner? You mean one of those huge passenger ships?”

    “Yeah, that kind. He had to pull a few strings, but—”

    “Why in the world would you need a liner just to get me across to Sinnoh?”

    “It’s not just you.” Lawrence pointed toward a skyscraper with a dully glowing ‘V’ on its front. “I’m going to Valence and getting the Equi—the talking Pokemon out of there and bringing them here. They’ll load up on the ship, then we’ll make our way to Sinnoh right under their noses.”

    Erica raised an eyebrow. “But how are you going to get them across the street with nobody noticing? How many are there?”

    Lawrence seethed, looking away. “Over two thousand.”

    Erica’s eyes widened. “Over two thousand? You’ll never get that many out of there!”

    “It’s a work in progress, okay?” Lawrence sighed, holding his head. “Look, just keep an eye out for the ship when it comes around. The captain’s name is Sheffield; just tell him I sent you, and we’ll be off to Sinnoh when I come back.” He turned toward Valence’s tower. “I’ll hopefully be back in a couple hours.” He started running down the street toward it.

    “Wait, Lawrence!” Erica shouted, reaching out for him. But he was too far away, and his task crowded out everything else from his mind.

    When he got far enough away from Erica, he darted into an alley and pressed his mark. He shined with light and turned into a Lucario, all his senses growing stronger as a result. His tail sat over the seat of his pants and his chest-spike protruded slightly inside his shirt.

    He wrinkled his nose and coughed as he pulled his paws out of his shoes, then tucked his socks inside and tied them together. “How do people live here? It smells horrible!” He draped the shoes over his neck and ran down the streets even faster than before, still dressed in his other clothes.

    Minutes after, Lawrence reached the Valence Tech building, its gate closed and windows dark. He considered jumping over the fence and breaking through the door, but quickly dismissed it; it would be far too noticeable, and even if he got inside, the elevator required a different keycard than he had to access Facility D. There had to be another way.

    He looked to the right and saw that the road surrounding the walled tower descended, leading to a bright orange light. Men chatted with each other, droning on about something. Lawrence crept toward it, his sensitive ears picking up their conversation:

    “Yeesh, half an hour till the end of our shift, and just like every day for the past three months, nothing.”

    “No one ever said this was a fun job.”

    “I wanna throw my Lycanroc at something. Anything to make things interesting.”

    “You know we aren’t supposed to do that unless they’re suspicious-looking.”

    “I’ll just say they had a Pokeball and they wanted to force their way through.”

    “But what if—”

    “Aw, be quiet.”

    Lawrence peered around the corner. Underneath a bright orange lightbulb, two men stood in navy Valence uniforms. They each had a keycard clipped to their shirt pocket, along with a single Pokeball clipped to their waist. One was shorter, and the other was taller than Lawrence, each staring glumly around them. They stood in front of a large iron drop-down door, and to the right was a smaller door with a black scanner on its handle. In the corner of the alcove, a camera swung back and forth, recording every moment near the entrance.

    The smaller man rubbed his nose and tapped his Pokeball. “I’m tellin’ ya, nobody comes here ‘cept the delivery guys, and they came ‘ere an hour ago!”

    The taller man shrugged, his hat falling against his ear. “Well someone needs to make sure no one gets to you-know-where without the president’s say-so.”

    The short man groaned, pulling off his cap and scratching his head. “Don’t remind me. Good thing they put elevators in, or I’d—”

    “Careful what you say, Bernie.” The tall man pointed at the camera. “You know they can see and hear everything.”

    Bernie growled, glaring at him. “Yes, Vincent, I’m aware.

    Lawrence grit his teeth and smacked a paw against the wall. ‘Can’t get in that way; they’d notice if I knocked out the camera or the guards. I’ll have to find another way in.’ He felt a breeze down his neck and looked up; a vent gently blew cold air, a tube with a grate angling it downwards.

    Lawrence blinked having an idea. He wrapped his paws around the edges of the grate and pulled, careful not to shake it too much. It didn’t move.

    Lawrence furrowed his brow and tried again to no results. He silently growled and pulled once more, causing the solder to break off with a metallic snap.

    Lawrence wielded the grate awkwardly, pushing all his weight forward to prevent him from falling backwards. He froze as the guards spoke up:

    “Hey Bernie, did you hear that?”

    “Yeah. Sounded like some cat hopping on a garbage can lid.”

    “That’s not what I thought.”

    “If you want to check it out, I’m not stoppin’ ya.”

    Boots clacked forward, and Lawrence sucked in his breath. He looked down at the grate, then back up to the vent. The boots continued advancing. Lawrence leapt around the corner and hid in the shadows, holding the grate behind his back.

    The guard peered around the vent, casually looking around. He shrugged, then returned to the door. “Just some cat probably.”

    Lawrence wheezed a sigh of a relief, setting the grate against the wall. He returned to the vent and saw how small and rigid it was. He looked down at his clothes. ‘I’d be lucky to fit inside, let alone with these.’ He sighed reluctantly. ‘I’ll have to work it out when I get in there.’

    He pulled off his clothes and gathered them in his jacket, then tucked it underneath the grate, somewhat-satisfied with the results. Feeling somewhat colder with his fur uncovered, he clambered into the vent, careful to minimize the sounds he made.

    He crawled through the vents, weaving through the mazelike structure. Thin, metallic walls surrounded him on all sides, a dark, chilling wind all throughout it. He passed over the sheer drops that led to the facility’s lower levels.

    Lawrence worried that he might wander the vents for hours without any end, until the end of one vent had bright light leaking from it. He came up to it and peeked outside, revealing a bathroom similar to the locker room he had been inside only several hours ago, albeit without the showers or lockers. No one seemed to be inside.

    Cautiously, Lawrence pushed out the grate, clutching it in his paws. He slid down onto the freezing tiles and set the vent back into its position. He stood still, keeping watch for anyone.

    Satisfied, he went into the corner of a stall and leaned against it, staring down at his Lucario body. ‘I won’t be able to get down to them like this—but there’s no way I’m changing unless—’

    The door squeaked open and Lawrence held his breath, hoping that whoever entered wouldn’t see. A tall guard clomped in pulled off his hat next to the sinks, staring into the mirror. “Do I really have Pecha jam on my lips?” he muttered, setting a length of rope attached to his waist onto the counter. “Better be quick; that Tauros isn’t going to lead itself.”

    Lawrence stared at him and blinked.

    He had an idea.

    ~~~~

    In the pyramid of cages the Equivosians resided in, Cassia was in the midst of reading them Dictations from the Arceist Tome. They all listened peacefully, temporarily leaving the fear of the strange world behind. Even the children sat still and quiet, the words of their creator proving enough to calm them. The guards that surrounded them had long since left, confident that none could escape from the bars.

    “Heed my commandments, and prosperity shall follow. A plan of happiness lies in wait for all my children, but it may only come to pass if they put their trust in me and leave behind the misconceptions and misdeeds of the world.”

    Cassia tossed back her head and sighed. “What’s going to happen to us? They can’t just want us to sit here.”

    Lonny looked over to the Bibarel slumped in a cage and covered with bandages. “Not if Thomas is anything to go by.”

    The door on the far side of the room lifted, and two guards stepped in with the gangly Doctor Vaun. The scientist smoothed back his receding hair and calmly said, “Deeply sorry for the trouble, but can I speak to the Zoroark?

    Cassia closed the Tome on her lap. “What do you want?”

    Vaun’s eyes swiveled to her and widened. “Ah, most unusual, showing yourself in your natural state. Zoroark tend to use illusions to hide while they protect their young and hunt for food.”

    Cassia slid the Tome behind her back, her brow furrowing. “I have nothing to hide, unlike you.”

    Vaun swallowed, adjusting his glasses. “A sharp one, I see.” He focused on the Tome, its spine still visible. “And that book. Who wrote it?”

    Cassia hurriedly put the Tome back into her bag. “Only the best Pokemon in the history of Equivos.” She stared at him firmly. “Will Thomas be alright? His family’s worried about him.”

    Vaun rubbed his head, frowning. “Unfortunately, the…tests, were more strenuous than we expected.” He removed his hand. “Although I can assure you that it won’t happen again.” He weakly smiled. “I would appreciate it if I could have a volunteer, that way the procedure is less stressful…for all of us.”

    Cassia lifted an eyebrow. “What would we need to help you with?”

    Vaun’s eyes darted left and right. “Oh, blood and fur samples, little more.”

    Lonny hawed sarcastically. “Oh sure, that’s all you took from old Thomas!”

    Vaun shook his head slowly and rubbed his eyes. “Again, we are sorry for what happened to him. The next procedure will not be as stressful.” He turned back to Cassia. “I would prefer to have you be a volunteer. Would you be so kind?”

    Cassia held on to the bars of her cage. “You’ve given me no reason to trust you.”

    Vaun furrowed his brow. “All I can give you is my word.”

    Cassia held out a hand and waved it in front of her. “Then I won’t go. You just reek with dishonesty.”

    Vaun sighed and turned away. “Very well, we’ll do this the hard way.” He slowly walked back to the door. “Take her down to the machine.” His two guards unclipped their Pokeballs from their belts and prepared to throw them.

    Cassia focused on the Pokeballs; her eyes flashed red. Both Pokeballs became engulfed in flame, and the two guards dropped them and cried out, waving their hands to get rid of the flame.

    Vaun turned back around and shouted, “Well, get on with it!”

    The flames disappeared, and the guards stared at each other, bewildered. Vaun harrumphed and stomped out of the room.

    The guards reached down to pick up their Pokeballs, but they suddenly transformed to Voltorb and screeched as they flashed white. The guards screamed and scrambled out of the room to avoid the explosion, never to come back.

    The Voltorb disappeared, leaving only the Pokeballs. Cassia curtly nodded her head and relaxed, resting her back against the cage.

    Lonny chuckled and smirked. “That was fun.”

    ~~~~

    Lawrence—in a navy Valence uniform as a human—finished tying a rope around the undressed guard in the bathroom stall. He made sure the length of rope as a gag was good, then marched out of the stall, turning the bolt after. He adjusted his hat and ensured that the security card was clipped to his pocket. With that, he exited the bathroom.

    In the dim environment of Facility D, engineers passed by metal crates and machines, inspecting for damage, while navy-suited guards stood watch, their Pokeballs ready at their belts. Scientists darted between them, carrying folders and boxes, rushing to and from the numerous elevators that lined the walls, the primary three residing on his right.

    Lawrence saw two Machoke pushing a crate closer to the warehouse elevator as its doors retracted into the ceiling. One of the two guards next to the elevator waved off the Machoke. “This is just a bunch of balls; we don’t need you on the job. Go find something else to do.” The Machoke obeyed, wandering away and standing to the side until they were directed otherwise.

    As Lawrence steadily approached them, they attempted to push the crate themselves, only budging it slightly. They huffed, and one groaned. “Don’t like those Machoke; do nothin’ but stare at me.” He looked around briefly and waved over to Lawrence. “Hey, can you give us a hand? We’re takin’ these Master Balls down to the talking Pokemon!”

    Lawrence’s eyes widened, then he nodded vigorously and ran to them, positioning himself between to the two guards. The one on his right studied Lawrence up and down. “Your uniform looks a bit big.” The shirt hung loosely around his chest, and the legs of his pants were rolled up against the black shoes. The belt—absent of Pokeballs—was pulled to its last loop.

    Lawrence laughed nervously, his heart thumping in his chest. “Last one they had.”

    The guard shrugged, turning back to the crate. “Eh, don’t worry about it. Happens to the newbies all the time.” He leaned against the crate and pushed, grunting. “Push!”

    The guard on the left joined him in grunting, the crate inching into the elevator. Lawrence joined them, and the crate slid smoothly inside, straining his arms, but perfectly manageable.

    Once the crate lay inside, the guard pushed a button, and the elevator doors closed. Lawrence descended, knowing exactly what these guards planned to do with the Master Balls. He turned to each of them, each panting and wheezing, while he stood still.

    The guard on his right stared at Lawrence and wheezed, “You’re not tired out? What kind of guy are you?”

    Lawrence smirked, adjusting his over-sized cap.

    The elevator Lawrence stood inside was made purely of metal, a rough metal slab and slick wall making up its interior. A grate hung at the top, allowing cool air to flow inside, along with the grinding of the cable and smell of oil and fuses. It sped upwards quickly and smoothly, no jolts coming on their way down.

    Lawrence pulled up his pants, checking to make sure the other guards didn’t notice. ‘The sooner I take care of them, the better.’

    The guard on his left dusted off his knuckles and replaced his hat, nodding. “Right, now for the Pokemon.”

    The guard on the left looked over to the one on the right and said, “Doesn’t this whole thing seem a bit…off, to you? I mean, the president’s never wanted to use Pokemon for one of his inventions.”

    “We’re here to follow orders, not ask questions. If the president wants something done, we do it,” the guard on the right replied.

    “But all the other stuff we did never hurt anybody. We just guarded the building and asked for ID, not anything like this.”

    “What are we supposed to do? Don’t you think it’ll be nice to have our Pokemon talk to us?”

    “Yeah, it would. But we know what’s really going on. I don’t know if I could live with it if I knew a Pokemon got hurt doing that.”

    “Yeah, but what are we going to do? Most of the guys around here probably think the same as you, but they don’t speak up cause Hanson’s too powerful; he’s so obsessed on having Pokemon talk that he’ll take down anybody, even Vaun, and he’s the head scientist!”

    “I guess there really isn’t much we can do. Better take care of the job, even if we don’t like it.”

    “Yeah, we should. Especially that Zoroark; the president seemed to want it pretty badly.”

    “They’re pretty rare Pokemon.”

    “Yeah. Shame it’s gonna end up like that Bibarel.”

    Lawrence snapped. “That’s it.” He took the guard’s heads and pounded them together, instantly knocking them out. They lay on the floor in a daze, completely unaware of what just happened.

    Lawrence sighed, taking off his Valence cap. “Great. Now I have to make sure they don’t find you.” He shook it and put it back on his head. “Couldn’t keep you around anyway.”

    The elevator pinged, and the door rolled up, revealing the wall that barricaded the Equivosians from the rest of the world. Cameras swiveled on their posts, keeping an eye on all that occurred near the single door to the Pokemon.

    Lawrence looked down at the crate of Master Balls. For a split second, Lawrence thought to destroy them. But as he studied them for a moment longer, a smile extended across his face.

    “I can use these.”

    ~~~~

    In the Equivosian room, Cassia had a claw inside the lock of the cage, jiggling it to make it come loose. After several tries, she pulled it out with a groan and sat on the floor of her cage. “It’s no use; these locks are nothing like ours.”

    Lonny held his baby Aipom close and groaned. “What did you expect? These guys have stuff we never dreamed of.

    Cassia slid her bag onto her lap, reaching inside and stroking the tome. “I don’t like this place. No one really sees us as Pokemon. More like…objects.” She held up her claws, allowing a spark of Life to jump between them. “I’d break out of here if I knew what I’d have to deal with out there. I don’t even know where I could get more, or where I could find…Lawrence.” She lowered her claw, then after a moment said, “Do you think Lawrence will come back for us?”

    Lonny shrugged, setting the Aipom on top of his bag. “Who knows? Even if he did, how could he get us out? He’s a human now—no Aura, no strength, no nothing. He’s just like everyone else around here.”

    Cassia held her right wrist in front of her, studying the white fur that made the arc of Arceus. “He can’t be like everyone else…” She lowered her wrist and bow her head. “…Arceus said so.”

    The metallic door rolled open, and all the Pokemon turned to it. A single guard pushed a crate into the room, grunting with the exertion. The door slowly dropped behind him, and he stopped, standing straight.

    Lonny Ambipom came up to the edge of his cage and shouted, “Who’re you goin’ to take this time?”

    Other Pokemon kept shouting, all fueled by the fear driven by their treatment. Throughout all the cries, one message was clear: “What will happen to us?”

    The pink gas hovering around the ceiling gathered next to the guard as he stepped around the crate. He pulled off his hat and stared into Cassia’s eyes. “It’s me, Cassia.”

    Cassia stared for a moment, sliding lower in her cage. “I know…Lawrence.”

    There were collective gasps of astonishment and whispers, all dark and distrusting. Lawrence fully expected this, considering what had happened to them thanks to Hanson.

    Cassia held herself taller, and the other Pokemon stopped. “Lawrence…why? Why did you leave us? Why did you talk with that man? I saw you in the window when I was first brought here, talking with him.” She turned away, shutting her eyes. “I didn’t want to believe what Gardner said…about you betraying us to them.” She turned back, her eyes locking harshly with Lawrence’s. “But after seeing that…” She gripped the bars tighter. “Are you our Keeper? Or did you trick everyone into falling into a trap?”

    Lawrence stepped closer to the cages. He continued looking down as he said, “Hanson only wanted one of you, not all. If I wanted to betray you, I would have saved only one and taken them directly to him—not be stuck in a room and thinking about how I could save you.” Cassia’s grip on the bars remained firm.

    Lawrence pulled up his right sleeve. “I can say all I want, but I know you want proof. Proof that I’m not here to take you to Hanson, proof that I’m not like every other person here.”

    He held up his wrist, holding out the mark. “I met with Arceus, and he told me that Cassia and I would be closer to her, always following her.” He held his finger over the arc, gazing at Cassia. “If I wasn’t loyal to you, Arceus would never have let me do this.” He pressed the center of the arc, and he became absorbed in bright light, causing everyone in the room to gasp.

    The light faded, and Lawrence stood as a Lucario, still dressed as a guard. Everyone gawked at his transformation, with even Lonny at a loss for words.

    Cassia held up her wrist, studying the white fur that created the arc. “You’re…you’re still one of us.”

    Lawrence held up his arc once more and nodded. “I will take you all to where you are supposed to be—if you trust me. Do you?”

    Cassia clasped her claws together and smiled. “Yes.” The Pokemon around her agreed, hopeful now that the Lucario had returned.

    The Lucario bounded up the cages to Cassia, studying the lock. “Once you’re out, go get that can down there.” He pointed at a large, wheeled trash can in the corner.

    The Zoroark stood in front of the door, her bags in her claws. “What do we need that for?”

    Lawrence’s paw glowed with blue fire, and he trained it onto the lock. It sparked and fizzed, blasting apart from the door. He stepped away and swung it out, nodding his head toward the crate.

    “We can get everyone out—unseen.”

    ~~~~

    One hour later…

    In Hanson’s office, the president held the gold-engraved Pokeball, it’s center button still glowing red from its recall. He tapped the button and caused it to shrink, the layered metal folding back into itself into a compact sphere. He then set it back in its bowl.

    He rubbed the side of his head, sighing. “Not the result I was expecting…but at least it’s a start. The machine just needs to be improved.” He tapped the wood next to the bowl, staring out into space. “But it will at least make a difference.”

    “President, sir!” a crackling voice proclaimed.

    Hanson frowned, pulling open a drawer on the right side of his desk. Amidst the smattering of paper and pens, he pulled out a black radio and clicked a button. “Yes, what is it?”

    “Situation, sir! An employee was discovered inside the bathrooms without his uniform; he said he was ambushed!”

    Hanson gripped the radio tighter. “Did he see who it was?” he asked, his voice rising.

    “He said—he said—I can’t remember. Just come down and ask for yourself!”

    Hanson stood still, his face dark. “I’m on my way.” He released the button on the radio and set it back in the drawer, slamming it closed. He came to his feet and scooped the three remaining Pokeballs off his desk, then pulled back his suit coat, revealing a black, magnetic belt.

    He held the Pokeballs away and dropped them one by one, each one zipping onto the belt with a click. He pulled down his jacket and marched to the elevator, pulling his golden key card out.

    “I won’t let some robber make a lifetime of work go to waste.”
     
    Last edited:
    Chapter 29: Realization
  • Chapter 29: Realization

    The elevator doors of Facility D’s second floor split apart, revealing Hanson’s glowering face. He strode to the module on the far side of the room, weaving around the crates of materials. Most of the scientists, engineers and guards had left, leaving only a fraction of security for the nighttime. The whirring machines of before now lay silent, only the occasional clang from the bowels of the facility.

    A balding, crooked figure came into his path. He raised a shaking fist over his head and exclaimed, “It wasn’t my fault! I was on the way with that Zoroark when she—”

    “Yes, yes, Doctor Vaun, I get the picture,” Hanson seethed. “I have more pressing matters than you at the moment.” He pushed past him and toward the gathering of guards around a collection of monitors.

    Vaun’s face fell as he shuffled toward him. “B-But sir, the experiment—”

    “Can wait!” Hanson fumed, turning his head. “I appreciate the concern, but we have an intruder! Go make yourself useful!” Vaun nodded his head in defeat and slunk away.

    Hanson shook his head sadly, then returned to the monitors and guards. Various video feeds of Facility D showed across them, each showing employees going about their duties. The ten guards around the monitor did not focus on the screens but on the man huddled on a chair, wearing little else except a blanket over his shoulders.

    A guard noticed Hanson and waved over to him. “President Hanson, here’s the man who was ambushed!”

    Hanson made his way to him and noticed a bandage wrapped around his head, keeping a bag of ice in place. He frowned. “When did this happen? Did you see who?”

    The man winced, pushing the bag tighter on his head. “Can’t say for sure. I was just going in the bathroom to clean myself up when I felt something hit me across the head. I passed out, then a few moments later, I was sitting in a stall in nothing but my skivvies, wrapped up in the rope I brought in with me.” He shivered, pulling the blanket tighter. “It’s cold in there. Very cold.”

    Hanson smoothed back his hair, staring at the ground. “Did you see anyone as you passed out? Do you remember their color, their hair, anything?”

    The man furrowed his brow and looked up. “Hold on…I remember seeing the guy as I hit the floor. It was all hazy, but I could’ve sworn he looked…blue.”

    Hanson raised an eyebrow and leaned closer. “…Blue?”

    “Yeah, and a big furry jacket, with a silver thing on his chest. He…he even had red eyes.” The man groaned, holding his head. “Oof, he just hit me once too. Didn’t feel like some regular joe either. He was real strong.”

    Hanson held his chin, considering the detail. He turned to the guard sitting in front of the monitors and said, “Bring up the security footage from the past hour for the main entrance.” He obeyed, typing on the keyboard and dragging the mouse to a certain screen, showing a pair of guards of differing heights near the warehouse door.

    The screen panned back and forth as they chatted, going between the lightened entrance to the dark driveway leading to it. Hanson studied it, watching for anything unusual. At double the speed, nothing appeared to happen—until a shape appeared briefly in the dark.

    Hanson gripped the shoulder of the guard and pointed at the screen. “Pause the footage and go back, slowly!” He obeyed, and steadily, the shape reappeared behind the wall, barely visible in the dim atmosphere.

    Hanson narrowed his eyes, catching the colors of the figure. It appeared to be human, but the triangular…ears, he determined, set it off, and the arms were the wrong proportions. There was also the lack of feet, instead replaced with…paws. That, along with the dog-like head, in addition to the guard’s description, lead him to conclude:

    “The intruder’s a Lucario. He got inside somehow and wound up in the bathroom just as our unlucky fellow went in.” Hanson shook his head in bewilderment. “But there’s no way it could have avoided detection, even if…” He stared, realizing. “Why would it want his uniform?” He held the guard’s shoulder again and said, “Go to the camera closest to the bathroom and watch for anyone leaving it in a uniform.”

    He obeyed, and a visual showing the main floor of Facility D. Employees darted back and forth, making it nearly impossible for one to follow. But Hanson narrowed his focus on the bathroom doors, barely in the corner of the camera. He saw the now-under-dressed guard enter, holding only his rope. Minutes later, a markedly-different individual exited, without the rope—and he looked familiar to Hanson.

    The president leaned closer, the guard becoming more distinctive as he paced toward the Master Ball crate. The brown hair, blue eyes, his posture. Hanson’s nails dug into the seat of station’s chair.

    Hanson released his grip, tossing his hand aside. “Lawrence,” he muttered. It all became clear to him, thinking back on his concern for the Equivosians’ wellbeing when he returned, as well as his interest in that Zoroark that he saw as they passed her.

    But in Hanson’s mind, this didn’t make sense. ‘Lawrence didn’t have a Pokeball, and the Lucario wasn’t in the bathroom when the man was found. Even if Lawrence followed the Lucario, his clothes would’ve remained behind.’ He tapped his Pokeball and lowered his head. ‘There’s something missing.’

    Hanson perked his head up. “Lawrence managed to get inside…and I know why.” He pointed at the screen showing a sturdy wall and a set of elevators opposite to it. “Show me the footage from the Equivosian room.” He looked at the black square to the left of the room and scowled. “Why can’t we see in the room itself?”

    “Electrical short. Happens sometimes with the older ones,” the guard explained.

    Hanson sighed, massaging his temple. “Fine. Just bring up the elevator footage.”

    The camera footage rewound, and he saw Vaun exit through a door in the wall. Minutes after, a solitary guard pushed a crate. He looked around briefly, and Hanson grit his teeth. He saw the face of Lawrence Stephenson, clearly entering the most important room for Project Babel.

    And he had been inside for the past hour.

    Hanson spun around and snapped his fingers. His guard stood at attention. “All of you, follow me down to level four. We have to intercept Lawrence before he releases the Equivosians.” He strode to the elevator, and all ten followed. They entered the elevator and descended to level four.

    On their way down, Hanson considered the ways Lawrence could have gotten inside. “There’s only the main entrance and the building’s elevator, but he couldn’t have gone through either without the right access card. Even then, none of the cameras saw him go inside; they only saw the Lucario—which appeared to be taller than most, actually.” He tapped the side of his head, ignoring the guards around him. “It makes no sense. There had to have been a sign of him. The Lucario likely got inside through the ventilation shaft—I should have made the architect change that—but Lawrence came out instead of it. There is clearly something amiss.” He kept his hand on the Pokeballs on his belt, hidden behind his gray suitcoat. “Regardless of how he got inside, I can’t let him take the Equivosians. It would devastate the company; I invested a significant amount into the Master Balls, as well as the advertising for the project. I would be a laughingstock to cancel it because of him.” He gripped the gilded Pokeball tighter. “I’ve worked most of my life to create a world with perfect communication. I won’t let it end like this.”

    The elevator dinged, and the doors split apart, revealing the wall that guarded the Equivosian Pokemon. Hanson and his guards filed out and wrapped around the warehouse door, the metal gate the only thing standing between them and the Pokemon.

    A guard took his keycard from his pocket and swiped the scanner next to the door. The red light on top flashed green, and the door began to lift. It suddenly spat and struggled, falling to the ground with a clang, its engine smoking.

    Hanson gawked at the broken engine, then pointed at the door and exclaimed, “Bring it down!”

    A guard unclipped his Pokeball and pressed its button, causing the folded pieces of metal to expand outward and form a perfect sphere. He threw the ball in front of the door, and upon hitting the ground it flew open, a blinding white ball of energy flowing out. The ball rebounded into the guard’s hands as the energy warped and dimmed into a Machoke, flexing its arms and emitting a throaty grunt.

    “Punch the door down!” its owner ordered. The Machoke nodded, then punched the door, creating a sizable dent in the metal. It continued in tandem, each blow bringing them closer to their prize.

    Hanson stared ahead but cocked his head at a low rumble that emanated from the corner. His guards noticed the rumble, all craning their heads to find the source. Hanson continued to hold his Pokeball, finding the source to be the wall to the right of the door the Machoke punched.

    The rumble grew louder, and the wall bulged, glowing red. It suddenly exploded outward, a crimson flamethrower blasting it apart. Hanson and his guards stepped back, stunned by the destruction.

    Plastic clattered behind him, and a large wheeled trash can sped out of the massive hole, its lid clanking against its body. A Zoroark and Lucario teamed up behind it, pushing it as fast as their legs could allow. The Lucario held out its paw and shot a sphere of blue light into the left elevator’s control panel, then the right, frying them completely. They both dove into the warehouse elevator, then the Lucario pushed a button, making the doors close.

    Hanson’s head swung between the Pokemon and the wall, then he roared, “What are you doing? Get the Pokemon!”

    The guards clustered around the warehouse elevator, each speaking into their radios. One turned to Hanson and said, “We aren’t going anywhere till this elevator comes back.”

    Hanson growled, striding to the cooling hole the Zoroark had made. “Brilliant.” He peered around the hole, thinking.

    In the room, all the cages now lay empty, either ripped apart at the bars or opened with their destroyed locks. Nothing remained save for scraps of food and a discarded uniform, which strangely lacked the belt.

    Hanson studied it, his rage at losing the Pokemon tempered by his bewilderment. “Now Lawrence is nowhere to be seen. Without…clothes.” He shook himself, refusing to dwell on it. “Regardless of his circumstances, I have to stop him and that Lucario.” He glanced around the room and noticed a door in the corner, barely big enough for a person.

    Hanson lowered his head and ran to it, throwing the door open. A tiny elevator hung inside, tools and supplies scattered within. A spindly lightbulb hung above it all, flickering to life as the door opened.

    Hanson threw off his suit jacket, then clambered inside and pressed a button, causing the elevator to creak and groan in protest. It painstakingly crawled up, leaving behind the confused guard and the room of empty cages.

    Hanson pulled a Pokeball of his belt, grimacing. He pulled a Pokedex from his pants pocket and typed a number into the dialer. After a few rings, a tired voice asked, “Yes, what is it, President Hanson?”

    “Vaun, get the rest of security on their feet! A Zoroark and Lucario are headed up the warehouse elevator to the top, and they have all the Pokemon—” He cut himself short, realizing how ridiculous he sounded. “In a…trashcan.”

    Vaun paused. “A…trashcan?”

    “Yes. They must’ve used the Master Balls to capture them, then tossed them inside to make them easier to carry.” Hanson shook the Pokedex and bellowed, “I’m on my way up now through the service elevator; the Lucario destroyed the scanners of the other three. Be ready for them!” He ended the call and continued to hold the Pokedex, closing his eyes as his visions of the future clashed with the complications of the present. All of this melded with the pain of the past and the utter discrepancy of the infiltration of Lawrence and the Lucario.

    ~~~~

    Back in the elevator, Lawrence and Cassia breathed heavily, each winded by the sudden run. They looked at each and laughed in spite of the tension.

    Once they caught their breath, they remained silent as they ascended. Lawrence tapped his paw against the top of the trashcan, while Cassia adjusted the strap to her bag. They both wanted to talk, but the opportunity felt…wrong.

    Lawrence looked around briefly, then took a Pokeball from the can and held it up. “You know that these capture Pokemon, but do you know how they work?” Cassia shook her head. He pointed to the button between its two halves. “If there’s a Pokemon inside, just press the button to expand it, then throw it on the ground; it will release the Pokemon and bounce back to you.” He pointed at a white button on the bottom half of the ball. “If you want to put it back in, just point the main button at it and press this one; it’ll send out a beam and bring it back inside.”

    Cassia scrutinized the Master Ball. “But how do they get trapped inside in the first place.”

    “You can throw an unassigned ball at a Pokemon, and it’ll pull them inside. They can break out of the ball if they destroy the containment mirrors before the ball stops shaking.” Lawrence set the ball back with the others. “But Master Balls are different. Their mirrors are designed to be practically indestructible. Only a Legend would have any chance of breaking it.” He closed the lid and blew his breath out slowly. “I’m surprised that Hanson managed to get this many. Most people can’t afford even one because of the materials they’re made from.”

    Cassia shivered. “They’re so…unnatural.”

    Lawrence shrugged, leaning against the elevator wall. “I agree, but it’s our only chance of getting everyone out of here. We can release them on the ship.”

    They remained quiet, the hum of the elevator filling the room. The box occasionally jittered, shaking the security card clipped to the belt around Lawrence’s waist. The thousands of inch-wide Master Balls clattered against each other, each holding the life of an Equivosian.

    Lawrence shifted in his position, looking down. “I’m…I’m sorry for what happened. I should’ve known Hanson would do something like this. I wanted you to be happy when you came here, not…afraid.” He closed his eyes, grimacing. “If there’s anything I can do to make up for it—”

    “Lawrence.”

    Cassia held Lawrence’s paw, pulling closer to him. “You came back for us. You’ve made up for it already.” Lawrence relaxed, standing upright. Cassia continued, “I want to see what this world really looks like—the trees, the sea…all of it.” She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. “And you’re just the one I want to see it with.”

    The elevator dinged, ending their talk. Cassia let out her breath quickly, brushing a hand through her mane. “It’s just going to be us against the guards. Do you think we’ll be alright?” Lawrence nodded.

    “We will.”

    ~~~~

    On the ground floor of Facility D, Vaun paced stiffly in front of the thirty guards that remained for the night, holding his head high. They stood in front of the warehouse elevator, waiting for their target Pokemon to come out.

    Vaun pushed back his hair and held his nose high. “President Hanson wants these Pokemon reclaimed as swiftly as possible. Just recapture the Pokemon swiftly and efficiently, for the company’s sake and your own.” He turned around and stopped. “Am I clear?” There were muted grunts of approval from his subordinates.

    Vaun eyed them sternly. “I am aware that many of you don’t agree with the…processes behind Project Babel. But rest assured that these talking Pokemon were being given the best treatment possible in our current situation. They would have been put into a better living area—in time.”

    The elevator dinged, and Vaun shuffled to face it. The doors split, revealing a Zoroark and Lucario standing behind a large trash container, the Zoroark with a leather bag over her shoulder. They carefully advanced, the Lucario steady in his steps and the Zoroark uncertain.

    Vaun frowned, holding his hand behind his back. “You, Lucario, have trespassed on Valence premises and have attempted to steal company property. Leave the Master Balls and the Zoroark, and I can promise you’ll still be treated well.”

    Lawrence set the trashcan down and stepped around it, glaring at Vaun. “Treated well? Like being stuffed in a cage and nearly killed by machine?”

    Vaun flinched, adjusting his cracked glasses. “Y-You can talk? How? You came from the outside, and—”

    “That doesn’t matter!” Lawrence fumed. “You nearly killed a Pokemon, all for some insane experiment! What you did before was bad enough, but then this?” He grimaced and shook his head. “How can you stand yourself?”

    Vaun’s face turned pink as he exclaimed, “I’m just doing what I’ve been told! Yes, I have concerns about their well-being, but these experiments will be tuned and adjusted to not be so taxing!”

    “Has it worked?” Cassia calmly replied.

    Vaun faltered, his face returning to its natural, clammy complexion. “E-Excuse me?”

    “Has your experiment worked? Have you made Thomas’ pain worthwhile?”

    Vaun struggled for words, the guards behind him loosening their grips on their Pokeballs. He looked back, his eyes growing wide. “Y-You can’t expect things like this to be right on the first try. We’re trying our—”

    “You.” Cassia pointed at a guard with graying stubble, who jumped slightly at her claw. “Do you agree with what he’s saying? Do you think that Pokemon should be hurt to make some fantasy?”

    Vaun hurried to the guard and hissed, “She’s a Pokemon, Carlisle! She has no idea what she’s talking about!”

    “I’m asking him, not you,” Cassia reaffirmed.

    Vaun turned back, aghast. He gave Carlisle a final look, then shuffled away, giving Carlisle a perfect view of Cassia and Lawrence.

    He rapped his fingers against his Pokeball, studying the ground. He cleared his throat, then looking up to Cassia, said, “I…I don’t usually speak up about what the President does, or what his plans are. Up until recently, it was all fine; it was just gadgets and stuff.” He pulled off his hat and wiped his brow. “But when he started bringing in Pokemon and saying it was for a new project, I found it hard to keep following what he said. He’s done a lot of things, but he never hurt nobody. But when I saw what he was doing to them…” He shuddered. “I signed up for this job to protect people and Pokemon. Not watch them get hurt. I was willing to put up with it since I thought it was temporary, but then Vaun and his other scientists got to saying it may go on for years—and when I heard them Pokemon talk…”

    Carlisle lowered his hat and stared at the floor, ashen. “I couldn’t watch that. I would’ve up and gotten my resignation ready, if it weren’t for me needing this job and…what the President made me agree to.” He looked to his fellow guards, all with their hands at their sides. “We never wanted this. The President’s gone too far this time. We were just too afraid of him to say no.”

    Vaun’s head flicked back and forth between them and the Pokemon. He sputtered and shouted, “Y-Y-You signed the contract! You’re to obey orders and—”

    “And what?” Another guard replied. “And treat this like any other job?”

    “Like the time you took my pet Herdier and tested ‘medicine’ on him? He was sick for over a week!”

    “Or that time you split open that Magmar’s head to see how it ticked?”

    “Or when you had a bunch of Rattata get some implant in them? None of them survived!”

    Vaun paled, stepping back. “I-I was only following the President’s orders!” The guards surrounded him, ignoring Cassia and Lawrence.

    Carlisle replaced his hat, studying Vaun coldly. “You’re his right-hand man down here. He might give the orders, but he doesn’t know what he’s asking for. You’re the one who gives him what he wants.” He nodded to his fellow guards, and two took Vaun’s arms. “I don’t care if I’m fired. Neither do they. At least we won’t have to send a bunch of Pokemon to die.” He began walking to the exit and waved for the others to follow. “If anyone else doesn’t like what this Sneasel or the President has us do, follow me out. I’ve had it with watching Pokemon die.” He gave a finally glance to Cassia and tipped his cap. “You’re certainly not like any Pokemon I’ve met. Keep making guys like me think, and you guys’ll do fine.” He opened the exit door, the entire troupe of guards following. Vaun was dragged through the crowd despite his feeble attempts to flee, pleading for them to release him. His cries were silenced by the shut door as the guards went out to the streets and left Facility D out of their lives.

    Lawrence turned to Cassia and made a small smile, holding on to the trashcan. “Some guards said they were too afraid to speak up. They just needed someone else to do it for them.”

    Cassia smiled back, holding on to the trashcan. “Lawrence, you’re as smart as ever.” They slowly rolled the trashcan toward the warehouse door, their final obstacle to Sinnoh.

    Clang! Clang!

    They froze, looking to their right. A section of wall rattled, the bolts around it coming loose. It clanged and shook again, a bulge appearing in the middle.

    Clang!

    The sheet burst from the wall and clattered on the ground, revealing Hanson wielding a sledgehammer, panting heavily. He glowered at the two Pokemon setting the head of the hammer on the ground. “Congratulations,” he seethed, “You managed to get past all my security and planning in one night, all to steal away a bunch of Pokemon.” He slowly stepped to the warehouse door, dragging the hammer behind him. “But unlike my guards, I won’t have the wool put over my eyes by a Zoroark.”

    Lawrence noticed the Pokeballs on his waist and lowered into a defensive stance. “Careful, Cassia. He looks ready to fight.”

    Hanson hefted the sledgehammer with a grunt, his eyes wide. “Oh yes, Lucario. To protect my company, my fortune, and my dreams.” He swung the hammer on the scanner for the warehouse door, causing it to explode in sparks and blare out an alarm.

    Hanson threw away the hammer and leaned back, groaning. “I haven’t had to do anything like that in years.” He stood straight again, frowning. “Then again, I haven’t had Lawrence Stephenson and a mysterious Lucario work together. Despite my records, a Lucario was not among the Equivosians, yet here’s one now, talking right to me.” He clutched the side of his head and said, “And Lawrence bewilders me with what he’s done!”

    Cassia took Lawrence’s arm and growled “He’s done more for us than you’d ever know.”

    Hanson stopped. He scrutinized the Lucario, his eyes flitting back and forth. “Wait…the clothes…the hiding…the voice.” Lawrence’s heart pounded as Hanson leaned forward, mouth slightly agape.

    He closed his mouth and coldly said, “You…you were changed. By the wormhole. No wonder you survived so long in such savage lands—and why you care so much for these Pokemon.” He brushed back his wild hair, his eyes squinting once more. “It all makes sense. Now I just have to figure out how to harness such a unique ability—after I give every Pokemon the power of speech.”

    Lawrence overcame the sinking feeling of dread in his chest and shouted, “How can you be so callous to torture these Pokemon, just to have our Pokemon do something that’s impossible?”

    “Impossible?” Hanson spat. “Impossible? We’re practically there! Everyone in the world sees them as companions, talking to them like they actually understand us! Like my teenage self thought, challenging the Elite Four!” He snatched an emerald-topped Pokeball and held it next to his head. “Before I became an inventor, I was an aspiring young trainer, what all the children in the world want to be. I was renowned in Unova, and everyone thought I would become the new champion.” He widened his stance. “I lost at the final round. I was forgotten, just like so many other unlucky challengers. If it wasn’t for the language barrier between me and my Pokemon I would have been victorious. And so many others would have been too.”

    “So that’s what all this is about? Making up for some match you lost ages ago?” Cassia exclaimed.

    Hanson took the ruby-topped Pokeball from his belt and smiled darkly. “Oh, it’s for more than that. I want to see a world with perfect communication for all, just as I’ve done with the Poketch and my Pokedexes. This is the final step. If you escape me, all my time, effort, and money would have been wasted.” He clicked the buttons on his Pokeballs, causing Lawrence to step back. “Those Master Balls cost a fortune, and my company will take a major blow if I fail to return on my investment. People are wanting my latest product, and I can’t leave them waiting.” His reared back the Pokeballs. “I can’t let you go!” He threw them both toward Lawrence and Cassia, their buttons glowing.

    Lawrence grabbed her claw and ran to the corner with the trashcan, avoiding the ruby Pokeball. It clacked against the floor and snapped open, throwing out a blinding sphere of light. It grew and morphed into a thick, musclebound Pokemon, the light fading into orange and black fur. Silver scattered in its coat, especially around the roaring fire that made its beard. Its eyes materialized, and it glared at the two Pokemon before it, snorting and scraping its hooves against the concrete floor.

    The emerald Pokeball did the same, sending out a sphere of light. It sat lower on the ground and formed into a metallic pod with three vined limbs, each with their own thorned casing. Spikes coated its body, the ones on its feet driving themselves into the concrete. It held itself lower, the thorns on the top of its body retracting to launch.

    The balls bounced back into Hanson’s hands, and he grinned. “Meet two of the surviving members of my team all those years ago: Bruiser, my Emboar, and Sniper, my Ferrothorn.” The Emboar bellowed throatily and clapped its paws together, reverberating in the air. The Ferrothorn emitted a crackling, shrieking cry as it vibrated, rattling its thorns.

    Cassia crouched, darkness spilling from her claws. “We don’t have to do this, Hanson. Just let us leave, and—”

    “And what? You’ll disappear, never to be seen again? I can’t afford that; Equivos was the only world I knew of with talking Pokemon, and now that it’s gone, you are my only hope.” Hanson pointed at them and roared, “Bruiser, Sniper, go high!”

    Bruiser the Emboar grunted, picking up Sniper the Ferrothorn by its sides. It rattled eagerly as Bruiser stooped, then thrust upward, sending the Ferrothorn to the ceiling. Its pods drove into the concrete and kept it hanging, the thorns on its bottom half retracting and hissing. Dozens rocketed out and zoomed toward Cassia and Lawrence.

    Lawrence’s paws flared with aura. “Avoid the thorns!” He and Cassia sprinted out of the way, all the thorns embedding into the floor.

    Bruiser bounded forward, his beard growing to consume his entire body. He bellowed and veered toward Lawrence, the force of the flame propelling him forward. The Lucario narrowly leapt over the Emboar, his legfur singed from the heat.

    Cassia dodged more thorns from Sniper, deflecting some with her claws. She turned invisible, causing Sniper to lose target and look back to Hanson.

    He waved to where Cassia disappeared and said, “Swing-Bash Strategy!”

    The Ferrothorn rattled in reply, its vines lengthening and lowering it closer to ground level.

    Lawrence weaved between Bruiser’s slow and powerful blows, beating his paws into his fatty exterior. None of his punches seemed to have any effect on the hardened Emboar, each rippling his skin and little more.

    Sniper hung only a few inches from the ground then started to circle. It spun faster, its arc growing wider and wider. It kept circling its thorn-covered body as its legs scrabbled across the ceiling, beating away crates and searching for a Zoroark in its path.

    Lawrence ducked beneath one of Bruiser’s punches, only to be blown back by another. He skidded against the floor as the Emboar charged forward again, elbow dropping toward him.

    Lawrence rolled out of the way, causing Bruiser to land on his chest. Lawrence summoned an Aura Sphere and fired it into Bruiser’s head, causing him to squeal and grab Lawrence’s leg. He swung him into the floor, stunning him as Bruiser swung him again, and again, and again.

    Cassia—invisible—ducked underneath Sniper’s sweeps and advanced to Bruiser, driving her claws into his side. He squealed once more and swiped at her origin, only for her to strike at a different point.

    He threw Lawrence behind him, only for him to be swung into by Sniper. He slammed into the wall and slid to the floor with a groan, his eyes closing.

    “Lawrence!” Cassia called. She grabbed onto Bruiser’s arm and allowed him to swing her into the air, right toward Sniper. She soared just above its menacing swing and into the vines that held it in place, grabbing onto them. Sniper rattled viciously as it slowed to stop its assailant. Cassia sliced the three vines at once, causing Sniper to fly into a wall and ingrain itself, the remaining vines on its head whipping wildly as they gradually grew back. Cassia landed on the ground and turned invisible once more, running toward Lawrence and leaving Bruiser to cauterize the cuts on its sides with his flamethrower breath.

    Hanson grit his teeth, his aged heart beating rapidly. “I haven’t felt this exhilarated in years. Lawrence is down, but so is Sniper until he can grow back his vines. Bruiser won’t be stopped by a few measly cuts; the Zoroark stands no chance. Soon, Project Babel will be back in order.”

    Cassia stopped next to Lawrence and rolled him onto his back. “Are you okay? Is anything broken?”

    Lawrence coughed, his eyes fluttering open. “Only my pride. Those Pokemon are strong.” As Cassia soothed his wound with what Life she had left, he pointed at the rejuvenating Ferrothorn. “Those things might have tough shells, but with a hard enough hit, they’ll crack open and lose all their thorns. They’ll hibernate until they can repair themselves, so I’ll try and take it on.”

    “Lawrence, we can’t fight here forever. The ship’s waiting for us,” Cassia warned.

    Lawrence came to his feet, holding his head. “I know, but we can’t have Hanson send these after us. Just focus on distracting the Emboar while I hit the Ferrothorn.”

    The pods on Sniper’s vines regrew and pounded into the wall, each straining to push the Ferrothorn out. Bruiser snorted and caught sight of Lawrence. He looked to Hanson.

    He pounded his fist into his palm. “He’s too fast for you to charge into; hit him from afar!”

    The Emboar stared blankly, then leaned toward Lawrence and let his flames envelop him. Lawrence ran away from the wall as Hanson groaned audibly, pressing his hands against his head. “No, no, no! I meant use Flamethrower, not Flame Charge!”

    Cassia ran out after Lawrence, forming a blob of inky-black gas in her claws. She threw it into Bruiser’s eyes, causing him to bellow and barrel ahead, charging into every crate in its path, completely missing Lawrence.

    Sniper finally pushed itself out and clambered to the ceiling, letting itself hang several feet from the wall. As Lawrence sprinted, Sniper showered thorns below it, scratching Lawrence’s body. Lawrence grit his teeth and generated an aura sphere, aiming it toward Sniper.

    Hanson hissed and shouted, “Sniper, drop! Drop now!”

    The Ferrothorn obeyed, shaking loose of the ceiling. Lawrence lost concentration and released the aura sphere prematurely, causing it to spiral into the wall. The Ferrothorn slammed next to him and threw him into the air, it vines pushing itself upright in the floor. It rattled furiously as a glowing green sphere formed in front of its eyes, gathering energy from the air.

    Cassia danced around Bruiser, narrowly avoiding the focused breaths of fire it blew from its snout. She glanced at Lawrence and gasped as he slowly got up, Sniper’s energy ball aimed directly at him.

    She held out her claw and gathered a crimson sphere, then launched it at Sniper. The sphere exploded on Sniper’s iron shell and sent it flying toward Lawrence, the energy ball dissipating. Lawrence reared back his fist and punched Sniper between its spikes, puncturing the shell and causing numberless thorns to flow out.

    Sniper let out one final rattle as its amber eyes closed. Hanson quaked as he pointed Sniper’s ball at the Ferrothorn and tapped the recall button. A red stream of light struck the Ferrothorn and formed it into light once more, travelling along the line into the Pokeball. He shrunk it and set it on his belt, pointing at the Emboar. “Bruiser, you can finish the job!”

    Bruiser grunted and continued swinging around him, narrowly missing Cassia each time. He finally squealed and leapt into the air, massive flames surrounding him on all sides.

    Lawrence paled and shouted, “Cassia, get out of the way! That’s a Heat Crash!”

    Cassia looked up and cried out as Bruiser rocketed to the ground, the heat so intense that neither could look at him. She leapt away, Bruiser’s fire exploding outward and catching Cassia’s back. She screamed, crashing to the ground and rolling to rid herself of the encroaching flame.

    “Cassia!” Lawrence yelled. He ran to her and cradled her head as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Bruiser struggled to push himself free of the sizable crater, everywhere within five feet of him black with char.

    Hanson clapped his hands together, grinning. “Yes, yes! Finally, my Pokemon succeed once more!” He noticed Lawrence leaning toward Cassia’s ear and whisper something, but they were too far away for him to hear.

    He snapped his fingers and said, “Bruiser, get them before they go on the move again!” Bruiser squealed in understanding, still trying to push himself up.

    Lawrence stood up, stone-faced. Cassia lay on the ground, her hands folded over her chest. The Lucario ran to the Emboar and roared, leaping upward. He reached the peak of his arc just above Bruiser, grazing the ceiling. He flipped upside-down and pushed against the ceiling to shoot toward Bruiser’s unguarded head. He held his paw out and struck home, cracking the concrete and driving Bruiser deeper.

    He pushed himself off of Bruiser and landed on his feet. The Emboar’s eyes dazedly focused on Lawrence. The concrete around him sunk slightly, then cracked again. It suddenly dropped out from underneath the Emboar and crashed into the next floor, carrying him down with a slam. Buried underneath tons of concrete, the Emboar did not rise again.

    Hanson gaped at his Pokemon’s defeat as Lawrence advanced to Cassia and held out his final Master Ball. He pressed it next to Cassia’s side and absorbed her in a flash, clicking closed. He shrunk it and snapped it to his belt, then faced Hanson. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done.”

    Hanson stared for a moment, then pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head sadly. "Lawrence, Lawrence, Lawrence...I have done nothing wrong. I told my subordinates I wanted Project Babel to progress as quickly and effectively as possible, and they have done so. That is not to say there have not been missteps…” He gripped his third and final Pokeball. “But a tremendous amount of money has been invested into this, and the public has no idea how badly they want Project Babel.”

    He unclipped the Pokeball. “I will not let you walk out of here with those Pokémon...not when I can use them to do so much good for the world!" He held up the gold-engraved Pokeball, a grin plastered on his face. “And now…the Pokemon I began and ended my journey with, the one who failed to obey me when I needed it most—the first to experience the fruits of my labor.” He expanded the ball and threw it at Lawrence, sending out yet another ball of light.

    It grew to tower over Lawrence, standing over four times his height. A long, bladed tail grew, and its head included to large blades. Golden armor coated its body, and charcoal scales coated its face, hand, and arms. Sharp red claws penetrated the scales, and cold, staring eyes bore into Lawrence. A Haxorus.

    The Haxorus stood straight, its tail sweeping back and forth. It opened its mouth:

    “I live to obey…Master.”
     
    Last edited:
    Chapter 30: Exodus
  • Chapter 30: Exodus

    Down at the docks, Erica sat on her suitcase, tapping her feet against its side. She bundled her coat tightly around her, the breeze growing stronger on the shore. The five docks remained free of ships, with only the Wingull perched underneath them any indication of activity.

    She coughed, covering her nose. “I hate staying out here like this.” She looked out to sea briefly, finding nothing. “When is that ship supposed to be here? I’ve been waiting for hours!” She sighed, then muttered, “Lawrence better not have been pranking me…”

    Erica perked up her head; a low rush echoed from beyond the harbor. From the right, a white prow jutted out from behind the buildings lining the coast. A massive white ship with three decks along its sides churned the water, edging forward as the prow tipped toward the harbor.

    Erica stood up, eyes wide and jaw dropped. The liner stopped along the center dock, its engine quieting and crew rushing. Several men sent out a gangplank, and a burly man wearing a black trenchcoat strode down, a colorful Chatot sitting on his shoulder.

    He continued up the dock and stopped in front of Erica, his matted, grey beard and grimy exterior more visible. He tipped his cap and said, “Good evening, young lass! Would you happen to know where a man named Lawrence Stephenson is?”

    Erica shook herself briefly, regaining her composure. “Y-Yes, but he’s not here right now; he’s getting the rest of the…passengers.” She took a step back, eyeing the staring Chatot. “And you are?”

    Rawk! Debbie talks, Debbie talks!” the Chatot squawked, flapping its wings.

    Sheffield chuckled, stroking the Chatot’s note-shaped head. “Aye, that’s her name alright. As for mine, call me Captain Sheffield. I was called by Lawrence to take him to Sinnoh, and he said for me to bring an ocean liner of all things!” He laughed heartily, craning back his head. “I thought he was kidding, but when he explained that there were more coming with him, I went ahead and got one for him.” He blew out his breath, scratching his beard blankly. “Although, it wasn’t easy. Had a few friends who were able to snag one for me, but I won’t be able to use it for long—upcoming cruise and all that. I’ll have to leave tonight if I expect to make it all the way to Sunyshore.”

    “Lawrence said I could come along too,” Erica added, grabbing her suitcase.

    Sheffield studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Won’t deny anyone the pleasure of riding a ship such as this—especially if they’re a friend of Lawrence.” He waved over to the men walking about, carrying crates and other ship materials. “My crew will treat you well, no need to worry about that. Go on aboard and choose a room, and we’ll wait for Lawrence together.”

    “Thank you very much, sir.” Erica curtsied as she took her suitcase and rolled it toward the deck, still finding it difficult to believe that Lawrence indeed managed to hire an ocean liner.

    She stopped at the foot of the gangplank, then turned back to Sheffield, who followed some distance away. “Um…just so you know, he told me all about this today, so if I seem a bit skeptical…”

    Sheffield nodded sagely, stroking Debbie’s feathers once more. “You have every right to be. I mean, look at me, some old grimy man inviting one such as you aboard!” He chuckled momentarily, then said, “Seriously though, you can trust me. If I do something wrong, feel free to walk off whenever you please.” He grinned, stroking his beard. “Until we cast off, of course, but Lawrence and whoever he’s bringing with him ought to be fine.”

    “He…he hasn’t told you who he’s bringing?” Erica asked dubiously.

    “Said it was on a need-to-know basis. Honestly, I’d rather know, but I guess we’ll find out the crowd when he gets here.” Sheffield stepped around Erica and marched back onto his ship. “Now come on aboard! Lawrence surely won’t take long!”

    Erica paused, then slowly advanced onto the gangplank. Midway up, she looked back at the Valence Tech building, the glowing ‘V’ eerie in the cloudy night sky.

    “I sure hope so…”

    ~~~~

    At the top floor of Facility D, Lawrence gaped at the Haxorus that towered over him. Despite the unlit atmosphere, its scales seemed to gleam—yet its eyes were soulless, just like every Pokemon he had seen in this world. And it could speak.

    Lawrence stepped forward, away from the crater behind him. “How…how can it do that? How?” He kept a paw close to the Master Ball around his belt, where he had stored a burned Cassia.

    Hanson stood behind the Haxorus, looking around it to study Lawrence’s expression. “Astounding, isn’t it? After forty years of being an inventor, I’ve finally found the means to grant speech to Pokemon.” He smiled, looking up at the Haxorus. “Isn’t that right, Razor?”

    “Yes, Master,” the Haxorus replied, scraping its feet against the concrete floor, screeching and sending sparks.

    Hanson sighed, pacing around Razor and closer to Lawrence. “Unfortunately, the process still needs adjustments. He has some personality, but certainly nothing like the Equivosians.”

    How did you do this?” Lawrence roared. “You said you couldn’t! You said you needed a Pokemon from Equivos! All other ways failed!” He stamped his foot and bared his teeth. “You put all of them through that for a lie?”

    Hanson pointed at Razor and wagged his finger. “Careful, Lawrence. He may be a bit lacking in intellect, but he makes up for it in strength. And I’d rather not end this moment with his way of doing things.” Razor snorted, the blades around his mouth cleaving in the air.

    Lawrence seethed, crossing his arms and stepping aside. “Why?”

    Hanson held his hands up as he continued toward Lawrence. “I’ll admit, I should have been more open with you. You deserve an explanation—as much as it pains me to say, considering how much trouble you’ve given me.” He pulled the ruby-embedded Pokeball from his belt, tossing it in the air and giving the still Razor a glance. “Would you mind if I recalled poor Bruiser? Razor and I would appreciate it.”

    Lawrence did nothing at first, then stepped further away, allowing Hanson to stand at the edge of the enormous hole in the floor and point the ball at the Emboar buried beneath the rock, unconscious. He tapped the white button on the ball’s underside, causing a red stream of light to come from the main button and strike the Emboar. The Emboar turned into a ball of light, then streamed back into the ball.

    Hanson shrunk the ball and clipped back into his belt, nodding his head toward Lawrence. “It is good to see a gentleman in battle.” Now mere feet from Lawrence, the Lucario could see the president’s eye studying him, whizzing left and right, surely thinking of the sheer conundrum that was him.

    Almost as soon as he came, Hanson returned to Razor, his pace slowing as the Haxorus drew nearer. “It started a year after the Pokedex 2.0 released. I was searching for the next big leap in communication, one that could dwarf even the Pokedex. I won’t bore you with the details, but I eventually concluded that we had to make a product to allow Pokemon to speak—a dream I’ve had ever since I failed the Pokemon league as a young man.”

    Hanson rested a hand against Razor, reaching his side. “By the way, don’t think of going anywhere while I talk; Razor will strike you down faster than you can say ‘ouch’.” Lawrence glanced at the trashcan in the corner, knowing already that he couldn’t afford to do that.

    Hanson continued, “I had a series of basements built with the main Valence building for storage and lab purposes, but I had yet to use them. I ended up converting them into the research facility we call Facility D—the ‘D’ representing ‘discovery’. I set my scientists to work on developing a machine that could translate speech.” He frowned. “That came to nothing. Against my better judgement, I directed Vaun and the other scientists to experiment with Pokemon to devise a means. Nothing worked.

    “This continued for around two years, and I was running short on my patience—until I noticed an article. It advertised that the Aether Foundation was selling its dimensional technology to help offset the costs of allowing the Ultra Beasts to ravage their region. I went ahead and bought it, thinking I could use it to further my project—even if I had no idea how.”

    “What does this have to do with the Haxorus?” Lawrence seethed, eyeing the trash container.

    Hanson held up a finger. “Patience.” He lowered it, then said, “After training my employees on how to use the technology, we set about searching for different dimensions with it. We found many worlds while the generator was still being built, and several contained the known Ultra Beasts. Nothing held a clear view, mind you, but with the glimpses we had of these worlds, we had a good idea of what it had.

    “Several months after I acquired the technology, we found a lush dimension, full of Pokemon—at least, from what we could tell from our overhead views. By that time, the generator had finished construction, and so we decided to test it in this dimension.” He grimaced, standing away from Razor. “It worked well—so well that we accidentally brought something here.”

    Lawrence’s eyes widened. “You mean…you took a Pokemon? From Equivos?”

    “Yes…but it was completely accidental. We never meant for it to happen.” He blew out his breath and said, “The wormhole was close enough to the ground to drag in a Marill and bring her to us. When she came, we were all shocked, and I sent for medical help—she was covered in wounds of all sorts.”

    “Where is she now?” Lawrence asked, suddenly worried.

    Hanson lowered his head. “She died soon after, unfortunately. But before they did, we discovered she could speak. She said, ‘What in Equivos is this place?’ Stunned, I asked if she had a name. In her last breaths, she said, “I…Draena Marill.”

    Lawrence grit his teeth. “So that’s how you got that file…”

    “Yes. We later sent satellites into Equivos’ atmosphere, as we wanted to see the terrain. We didn’t want to try taking another Pokemon until we could guarantee it would be safe.” Hanson held a hand against his head. “The Marill’s death was tragic…but not entirely in vain.”

    Lawrence narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

    Hanson paced next to Razor, folding his hands behind his back. “When I learned that the Equivos Pokemon could speak, I had my scientists investigate the Marill’s DNA. Upon comparing it with a standard Marill’s DNA, it turned out that there was another set of genes embedded there, likely to allow speech—but they were severely damaged from the radiation in the wormhole. It was determined that the genes could be copied to other Pokemon if they were intact, provided that we develop new technology and obtain another subject.

    “So you made something to copy the genes…” Lawrence suggested.

    Hanson smiled. “Yes. Up until we hired you to capture the Pokemon, I had the facility developing the machine and tweaking the wormhole, so that we can be ready to test it.” He gestured to Razor. “When you came with the Equivosians, I had one of them used for the first extraction—and the recipient was Razor. It was a success, if at the cost of the Bibarel’s health. With time, the machine can be perfected, so that it won’t be near as stressful or painful for the Pokemon involved.”

    Razor huffed, scratching the back of his neck. Hanson sighed and looked away. “Although, I can’t say I am entirely pleased. He is now able to speak, yes, but he lacks a certain…charm.” He shrugged. “Something that can be fixed, I’m sure.”

    “How would that even work? Everyone will see the Pokemon and not want to use it!” Lawrence exclaimed, his anger rising.

    “Yes, the approach I mentioned before wouldn’t work. Instead, I’d have customers send in their Pokemon for a few days, and when they get them back, they will be able to speak just like you or myself,” Hanson said. He stepped back, returning to his position from the previous battle. “This is where I stop my little tangent and ask you nicely: stand down, or I’ll have Razor make you.” He leered at Lawrence and said, “And this time, the language barrier won’t prevent me from succeeding.”

    Lawrence remained still. Wires fizzed, and fans whirred, muting anything else in the background. His tail hung low, and he kept himself in a combat-ready stance. “You were never planning on giving them a better place to live, were you? You just wanted to keep them down here, giving all your Pokemon something unnatural to them.”

    “Unnatural?” Hanson asked. He turned to Razor. “Do you think having speech is unnatural?”

    “No, Master. My mind is clear; I understand what you are saying, and I remember my life more clearly than before.” the Haxorus said in a neutral tone.

    Hanson stared for a moment. “Hmm…” He rubbed his chin. “As I’ve said before, there isn’t the same…spark, like the Equivosian Pokemon have. It’s as if there’s something missing, something that needs to be present.” He shrugged. “It matters little. Given enough time, the process can be perfected, and that spark will come.”

    Lawrence crouched, holding his paws up defensively. “I won’t let that happen. They need to live their own life, not satisfy yours.”

    Hanson sighed, shaking his head. “And here I thought you were a reasonable man—or Pokemon, I should say. It is a shame to have to do this to one of my former employees.” He pointed at Lawrence and called out, “Razor, use Dragon Pulse!”

    “Understood. I will destroy this opponent!” Razor reared back as purple light grew in his mouth, gathering into a ball of violet flame.

    Lawrence ran forward, aura coating his paws. Razor fired the Dragon Pulse, rocketing toward Lawrence. He deftly leapt to the right, narrowly dodging the beam. He gathered an Aura Sphere and shot it at Razor, striking across his chest.

    The Haxorus angled back slightly but was otherwise unharmed. His eyes suddenly brightened. “Bluepaws…are no match for me!” he bellowed, stomping forward and roaring. He swung his tail powerfully, meeting with Lawrence’s chest and throwing him to a wall.

    Lawrence shakily pushed himself up from the floor, groaning. Razor continued stomping toward him, holding his head high as his blades glowed white. Lawrence cringed and ducked under him, the Haxorus head clipping just above his own.

    Lawrence clambered onto Razor’s leg and onto his back, struggling to hold on to his scales. Razor attempted to reach back and strike him with his tusks and claws. Lawrence held on, latching onto his neck. He wrapped his legs around him and punched repeatedly at his head, creating dents in his hardened armor.

    “Use your tail to bat him off!” Hanson ordered, his fists tight.

    “Yes!” Razor’s tail swung toward his own head, meeting with Lawrence’s back. Lawrence wheezed as his chest was crushed between back and tail. Razor swung his tail again, and Lawrence fell of his side, holding his side.

    The Haxorus turned around and held his head high, readying to strike. “With Master’s mind, I cannot lose!” Lawrence held his paws out, wincing. Razor swung, and a rod of pure blue light appeared between Lawrence’s paws, blocking the tusks just before they could strike.

    As Razor continued pushing forward, they locked eyes, each trying to overpower the other. Razor huffed and seethed, “You cannot win. Master wishes others to have my gift. I no longer have to remain untested.” The Lucario’s eyes drifted to the corner, where the trash container was. The corner stood empty.

    Lawrence smirked, returning his gaze to Razor. “Thanks for the distraction,” he wheezed. He shouted and pushed the Haxorus’ head away, causing him to step back awkwardly to regain balance. Lawrence jabbed the pole into the Haxorus’ chest, pushing him onto his back with a slam.

    Hanson eyes whizzed left and right as Lawrence advanced, his Haxorus rolling back onto his feet. He looked to the left and froze. The container was gone—and all the Pokemon inside.

    His breathing quickened. “Where are they?” he muttered. He focused on Lawrence and bellowed, “Where are they?

    Lawrence beat away Razor’s claws with his pole, taking glances back at Hanson. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

    Hanson gripped Razor’s Pokeball so tight his knuckles turned white. “He couldn’t have taken them himself…unless…” He narrowed his eyes and shouted, “Grab the Master Ball on Lawrence’s belt!”

    “Understood!” Razor called, reaching toward Lawrence’s waist. The Lucario leapt out of the way and cracked his pole across the Haxorus’ head, receiving a guttural roar.

    Hanson rushed to the warehouse door, searching suspiciously. “You won’t get away with them that easily...”

    In the midst of their traded blows, Razor spun around and beat his tail across Lawrence, throwing him to the ground and dissipating his pole. Lawrence attempted to push himself up but was pinned to the ground by the Haxorus’ foot, which narrowly avoided his belt.

    Razor reached down and took the Master Ball, then threw it toward Hanson. “As requested, Master.”

    Hanson deftly caught the ball and nodded to Razor. “Well done. Now I can confirm my suspicions.” He enlarged the ball and threw it to the ground in front of him. It bounced upward with no reaction.

    Hanson scooped up the ball and yelled, “I knew it! You never caught that Zoroark! You just had her make it look like you did.” He eyed the walls. “She’s still lurking around here, and she’s got the Pokemon with her as well! Well, your little plan isn’t going to work!” He tossed the ball in his hand, removing his other from Razor’s Pokeball. “I can just capture her—or you even.” He stared, considering it as Razor kept Lawrence on the ground, nearly pressing him to death.

    Hanson tossed the ball again and caught it at its peak. “Yes, far simpler. Zoroark are tricky, but they can hardly be considered strong fighters. Razor can keep her at bay quite easily. Isn’t that right?”

    Razor looked over to Hanson. “Yes. Shinefurs are only tricksters.”

    Hanson sighed, carefully walking toward Lawrence. “I really have to have your personality worked on, Razor. It isn’t at all like talking with a person.”

    Lawrence forced a laugh, holding his palms away from Razor’s leg. “Yeah…a world full of Pokemon like him…a dream come true.”

    Hanson stopped, frowning. “You can still change your mind, you know. Just give me the Pokemon, and—”

    “And what? Expect to be imprisoned for the rest of my life? Like everyone else?” Lawrence wheezed. “Not gonna happen. Ever.” He jabbed the spike on the back of his paws into Razor’s foot, driving them deep.

    Razor screeched and stepped back, stepping back toward the hole in the floor. Lawrence weakly pushed himself up and punched Razor’s chest, pushing him back further.

    Hanson’s eyes widened. “No, Razor! Fight back! Fight back!” He reared back the Master Ball, aiming toward Lawrence.

    Razor attempted to gain footing, swinging his arms to counter Lawrence’s blows. “You will pay!” The Lucario dodged them, continuing to push the Haxorus toward the hole.

    Hanson’s brow beaded with sweat. “This can’t be happening…” He reached for Razor’s Pokeball. “I can recall him and send him away from—”

    He groped empty space, then looked down. The gilded Pokeball was gone.

    The Master Ball was knocked from his hand, suddenly floating away. A Zoroark appeared and ran away from him, her back missing patches of fur and revealing raw, red skin.

    Hanson looked down at his hand, then back at Razor. “Don’t fail me, Razor! We can’t lose, not again!” he bellowed, running awkwardly toward Cassia.

    The Haxorus—now perched at the edge of the hole, suddenly punched Lawrence across his jaw, knocking him to the floor. His mouth glowed violet once more, preparing to strike Lawrence with another Dragon Pulse.

    He suddenly glowed red, then shrunk into a sphere of light. He returned to the Pokeball in Cassia’s outstretched claws, which hung over the edge of the pit. She dropped it.

    Hanson fell to the edge of the pit and reached out to the falling ball, his finger grazing its surface. “No!” It clattered against the rubble below, useless to its owner.

    Hanson seethed, holding his hand in the air. “That’s…that’s…” He leered at Cassia and hissed, “Conniving, deceitful, savage—”

    Cassia held her claws underneath his chin, cutting him short. “You just described yourself.” She studied the Master Ball, then dropped it into the pit as well. “You say you want the best for the world, but you’re willing to do the worst to obtain it.” She removed her claws, then set them against her bag. “If it wasn’t for me, you would have made the worst mistake in your life.”

    “If it wasn’t for you, every trainer in the world would have exactly what they wanted!” Hanson roared, standing up. “I devoted my life to creating communication between Pokemon and humans, and you are taking away the only way to that!” He jabbed a finger at Lawrence, who now stood straight with his arms crossed. “And you! You betrayed my company, leaving it for Pokemon! You left me for pets!

    “They are not pets. You know it,” Lawrence replied. He paced around the pit and grabbed Hanson’s collar, bringing his eyes close to his. “I’m warning you now: don’t try to find us. I’m taking them somewhere far away, somewhere where they can be safe from men like you.” His other paw glowed blue. “I’ll make you pay if you do.” He released Hanson’s collar, then looked over to Cassia. “I’m sick of this place. Let’s get out of here.” He walked away from Hanson, leaving the shaken, defeated man.

    He and Cassia stepped in front of the warehouse door, where the trash container materialized. He leaned over to Cassia’s ear and whispered, “Good thing you had those Rawst berries.” He held an aura sphere in his paws and sent it straight through the warehouse door, punching a sizable hole inside it. They rolled the container out into the cold air of Castelia, hastening their pace to the dock.

    As the can clattered away, Hanson quaked, staring at the hole. “All that money…all that time…wasted…” He balled his fists, continuing to stare. “Mark my words, Lawrence Stephenson, I will find you and take my Pokemon back. Project Babel will continue, no matter what it takes!”

    ~~~~

    On Sheffield’s ship, he and Erica stood on the railing, looking out across Castelia. Debbie the Chatot flew overhead, occasionally squawking as the crew paced across the decks.

    “When do you think he’ll be here?” Erica asked.

    “Not got a clue. Ought to get here soon though; I’m just loaning this beauty till she sets sail for some fancy cruise,” Sheffield replied. He pulled at his collar, coughing slightly. “Yeah, I had to pull a few punches to get the guy to lend it to me. Good thing he trusted me with it—for a little while at least.” He squinted, gripping the guiderail. “Oi, is that Lawrence coming?”

    Erica squinted as well, noticing a large, clattering shape approaching from the darkness. They grew closer, and a bruised and battered man came into view, pushing a trash container alongside an equally beaten Zoroark.

    Sheffield waved his hands and bellowed, “Ahoy, Lawrence! High time you showed up! I was about to set sail without you!”

    “Get ready to leave, now!” he cried, carefully wheeling the container down the steps to the dock.

    Sheffield nodded and stomped away, shouting. “Oi, you heard the man! Get this ship ready for leavin’!” As his crew shouted orders and prepared to leave, he turned back and cocked his head curiously. “Erica here said you’d be bringin’ a bunch of people with ya or somethin. Where are they?”

    Lawrence and the Zoroark wheeled the container up the gangplank, heading toward Sheffield and Erica. “Just go!” Lawrence said as he stopped in front of him, the container screeching to a halt.

    Sheffield stepped around them and tipped his cap off to the Zoroark. “Pretty Pokemon you have there, Lawrence. I wasn’t aware you had one.”

    “Thank you,” she replied, smiling.

    Sheffield’s jaw dropped. “Did…did she just—”

    “I’ll explain later!” Lawrence hastily said, pushing Sheffield toward the stairs. He looked back to the Zoroark and said, “Erica, could you help Cassia get the Pokemon below deck?”

    Erica, equally stunned, nodded slowly as Lawrence ascended the stairs with a stricken Sheffield. She turned to Cassia, who gripped the trashcan and adjusted the bag over her shoulder.

    The Zoroark looked over to the stairs, then leaned over Erica. “Erica, right?”

    Erica blinked, then shook herself and said, “Y-Yes.”

    Cassia held out her claws, beaming. “Cassia Zoroark. It’s nice to see a friendly face around here for once.”

    Erica accepted her hand dumbly, shaking it. “Nice to meet you too.” She fiddled with a length of hair and said, “When Lawrence said there were Pokemon who could talk, I didn’t believe him. But now…”

    “Everyone else is in here.” Cassia opened the trash can lid, revealing the thousands of Master Balls inside.

    Erica’s eyes widened. “T-That’s a lot.”

    “I know, and they’re sure to want out,” Cassia said, closing the lid. “Can you take me down to the…hold, was it?”

    Erica swallowed, the nodded her head and said, “Yeah, sure. Had the tour and everything.” She pointed down the deck with a quivering finger. “Just head on that way and go to the big door. Can’t miss it.”

    Cassia began pushing the trash can, then came next to Erica and said, “Could you, um…help me, a bit later?”

    Erica eyed her curiously. “With what?”

    ~~~~

    “You never told me you had Pokemon that could talk!” Sheffield blasted, storming up the stairs and past sailors rushing back and forth.

    Lawrence struggled to keep up, feeling uneasy as it was. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I was sort of pressed for time. Plus, you wouldn’t have believed me anyway.”

    Sheffield threw open the door to the navigation room, then pointed Lawrence. “Darn right, I wouldn’t. Till now.” He crossed around the table covered in maps and around various navigation systems to the single wheel at the front, with a full top-down view of the ship and the ocean beyond. “You better tell me what you’ve been doing for the past month!” He adjusted some controls, and the ship lurched backward.

    Lawrence stumbled to a seat as Sheffield remained as still as a plank. He sighed and zipped up his jacket. “It’s a long story…”

    ~~~~

    Bright, orange light flooded the sky, brightening for a brand-new day. The ocean remained still, the waves barely coming across. Wingull cawed above, flying over the sea in search of food. Goldeen and Wishiwashi swam beneath the surface, cutting between the seaweed and rocks. Kingler and Krabby bubbled on the sandy seafloor, skittering past Mareanie and other deep sea Pokemon.

    A triple-decked liner cleaved through the ocean, leaving behind the distant coast of Unova. Its pristine white reflected the sun’s rays, meshing with the dark windows of the numerous suites. Occasional footsteps clattered against the salt-covered deck, mostly quiet except for the thrumming motor in its heart. Trolleys laden with food wheeled to the various doors on the decks, all being pushed be Sheffield’s crew. They silently entered each room and visited the Pokemon inside, offering them refreshment on their long voyage to Sinnoh.

    Lawrence sat on the deck at the prow of the ship, breathing deeply. His brown hair was neatly swept to the side, and his face sported several bandages. He was unbothered by the smell of the sea and the swaying of the ship—comforted by the fact he was returning home.

    Boots clapped across the deck behind him, and Sheffield appeared, holding two glasses of dark liquid in his hands. He chuckled, sitting alongside Lawrence and setting the glasses between them. “You tell some tall tales, Lawrence, and I like that. A whole tribe of talking Pokemon, in this very ship. Can’t say I saw it coming.” He pointed at the glass closest to Lawrence. “Want one?”

    Lawrence shook his head. “I don’t drink.”

    Sheffield shrugged, taking them both for himself. “More for me then.” He took a swig from one and sighed contentedly, then looked over to Lawrence. “You told me where you’ve been. Now where are you heading? You brought nothing except those Pokemon from ‘Equivos’—you didn’t even bring an extra shirt.”

    “I didn’t have all that much in my apartment, so I didn’t bother packing; I have more clothes waiting for me at my parent’s house.” He leaned his arms against the floor and continued, “I’ll just head over to Solaceon town and bring everyone with me. I plan on making a home for them in the Mount Coronet reserve. There’s plenty of space there, and as long as we lay low, the rangers won’t be any trouble.”

    “And how do you plan on doing that? I doubt you’ll be able to just hide in the bushes with that crowd you’ve got, and you certainly can’t build a few houses.”

    “Funny thing; there’s this cave system I found one day that’s connected to the range. With enough money, I can convert it to a colony of sorts. Rig it up with lighting, buildings, all sorts of things.”

    Sheffield chuckled, taking another drink. “While clever, it ain’t cheap, and in case you weren’t aware, you’re out of a job.”

    Lawrence smiled, sitting straight. “I’ll be fine for a while. Turned out that Hanson paid me soon after I came back. I just transferred it to a separate account, so he couldn’t take it back.”

    Sheffield laughed again, patting Lawrence on the back. “Well played and serves ole Hanson right.” He leaned over and said, “How much did he give you?”

    Lawrence came closer and whispered, “Five-hundred grand.”

    Sheffield gawked, leaning away. “You can’t be serious.”’

    “I’m serious. He said he was giving me a bonus for me going to Equivos, but I never thought it’d be that much.” Lawrence leaned back again, his smile fading. “You know…Hanson isn’t that bad of a person. He did some bad things, but he was always trying to do the right thing.” He sighed. “But that doesn’t mean I can just let him do what he likes.”

    They remained silent for a moment, then Sheffield raised his glasses and said, “Well…I’ll be headin’ back up to the wheel. Feel free to come up and have a chat when you get the chance.” He plodded away, with Debbie flapping down and landing on shoulder with a squawk.

    Soon after, soft footsteps echoed behind Lawrence. He looked behind him and saw Erica, wearing a light blue shirt with a white skirt, with a Pokeball clipped to the belt. Her red hair was bundled together and lay across her shoulder.

    She sat on her knees, looking out to the sky. “Thanks.”

    Lawrence cocked his head. “For what?”

    “For letting me come. I’ve been wanting to go home for years now, but I could never pull together the money to do it. Now I can see my family in person again.” She smiled, nodding toward the suites. “Plus, there’s also your ‘company’.”

    “You like them?”

    “Of course I do! They’re all wonderful Pokemon, all with their own stories and interests! And they all believe in Arceus too!” She huffed, tapping her fingers against her knee. “Honestly, I wish I had a people like them in my church.” She stared for a moment, then asked, “I asked a bunch of them about you, and they all said you were a great Lucario, even greater than some other one named Matheus. Why’s that?”

    Lawrence straightened, smiling sheepishly. “T-They really said that?”

    “Why would I lie about something like that?”

    He blew out his breath, then held out his wrist and pulled back his sleeve, revealing the mark of Arceus. “I can turn into a Lucario by holding this symbol down.”

    Erica gawked at it, then closed her eyes and shook her head, backing away. “One crazy thing after another…” She looked around for a moment, then said, “I’ll…I’ll be going down to see if Cassia’s doing better.” She paused, then added, “I’m surprised she grew her fur back so fast with that red light.” She walked away, leaving Lawrence alone once more.

    He remained for several minutes, until feet padded up from the same direction Erica left. Without looking back, Lawrence said, “How’s Cassia doing?”

    “I’m doing just fine.”

    Caught by surprise, Lawrence looked behind him and froze. A pale-skinned woman stood with bare feet, wearing a simple white dress and a golden brooch in the shape of the arc of Arceus. Her hair was a dark, pure red, with black streaks scattered throughout it. She smiled beautifully, complementing her warm, blue eyes.

    Lawrence stood up, studying her eyes. “…Cassia?”

    She held up her wrist, revealing a symbol exactly like Lawrence’s. “Looks like we’re joined together after all. Just like he said.” She stepped forward unsteadily, stumbling. Lawrence caught her, and she laughed uneasily, looking down at her fingers. “I’ll have to get used to having hands like this.” She stood straight and rubbed the skin on her arm. “And it’s so strange not having fur.”

    Lawrence remained still, considering his own hand. “Similar sort of thing with me—except I had to deal with a tail”

    Cassia laughed and sat at the prow, gently pulling him down to sit next to her. “I’m a lot like you. In a strange place, filled with people I have never known—all in a body that’s unfamiliar to me.” She hugged Lawrence across his shoulder, closing her eyes. “And you happened to meet me, to have me be your guide.” She nestled her head onto his other shoulder. “And now I want you to be mine. Will you?”

    Lawrence’s surprise melted away for peace, and he returned the embrace. “Of course.”

    They sat together at the prow, journeying to their home, fully trusting in Arceus that all would be well.

    ~~~~

    Years Later…

    In a different world, a vast sea stretched on for eternity, crystal-clear and endlessly deep. The sky was a pure light blue, yet no sun could be seen. A slow, gentle wind blew, yet no tides appeared on the water’s surface.

    An island rose from the depths, made of pure, white stone. An enormous, shining tree grew on top of it, its roots wrapping eternally around the stone and its branches fanning to great distances. Light threaded through its bark, pulsing at varying degrees. No mark or blemish lay anywhere on its surface, completely perfect.

    Pokémon roamed through the vast canopy, crossing walkways made solely from the branches. Plateaus arose from the trunk and other branches, and spires sprung up. Berry bushes and fruit trees erupted from the bark, and springs of pure, fresh water flowed into pools. An entire world of Pokémon resided here, each with an aura of light surrounding them.

    The Pokémon spoke and played with each other, no purer joys to be found. No houses or belongings existed in the tree—Pokémon rested in the nests of leaves when needed, only to continue their life of peace. They could craft what they wished with only a thought, from a plaything to a delicious meal, thanks to the wisps of light that rose from the center of the tree and sought to assist.

    The Legends trod amongst them, each sharing glimpses of their storied past. All had completed their duty, and now they were free to be with the Pokémon they had helped create and protect. Water Pokémon swam in the pools, flying Pokémon soared through the trees—every environment a Pokémon would need existed here.

    Near the center of the tree, a Lucario sat, watching others of his kind congregate and laugh with each other. He waved to them, receiving a wave back from them. He passed by a group of Golurk, where one told of his time with a young Zoroark.

    At the center of the canopy, where a natural stairwell descended. Veins of light pulsed all around. The narrow stairwell wrapped continuously around itself, descending for what seemed like eternity. A single exit appeared in the center of the soft wooden steps, then continued to descend.

    The circuits of light gradually dimmed, the bark of the tree turning coarse and rigid. It was dark save for the spheres of violet light that floated above sconces of wood, flickering.

    A gate of intertwined branches stood between the stairs and a hallway. Beyond it, numerous hallways stretched before him, all with rooms and gates of their own. Each held only a single Pokémon, with no light surrounding their bodies. Instead of a peaceful, cheering demeanor of those in the canopy, they were silent, ashamed, and miserable.

    The hallways branched and extended downward, the atmosphere turning grimmer the farther he went. One held the almighty Mewtwo, languishing in his cell for attempting to control the world. Farther down, a Xatu stared in contemplation, dwelling on how he proposed a world without evil, and created the blade necessary to make it come to pass.

    Down toward the bottom of the cells, a Zoroark sat in the center of the ridged, rooted room. His thoughts seemed to echo all around him, free to float after years of madness: “I failed…but I don’t care. Arceus has won, and now I have no chance of seeing my family again…ever.”

    Arthus made no movement, staring at the floor. “I only wanted everyone to be free from sorrow, the sorrow that I brought upon myself and others. I wanted to prevent that, but no one listened.” He let his head fall against the wall. “And now here I stay, to waste away for the rest of eternity.”

    Time passed, and he did nothing. Nothing but consider his actions, and the situation he now stood in. “The afterlife is…brighter, than I expected. In the branches, at least. In the brief moments I had there when I died, it felt joyous. But when I came here…” He shuddered.

    He remembered the crowd he saw surrounding those that died in the final destruction of Equivos. He thought he saw his beloved wife, standing amongst them and witnessing his banishment. He cringed, clutching his head. “If…if I had followed through with Arceus’ plan, none of this would have happened. Even with Corrina gone, I could have turned a new leaf, renounced everything Gregorius ever taught me. Then, I would have at least been together with her in the canopy, along with Cassia and the rest of my descendants.”

    He glared at the wall. “But it was never to be. Not with what I did.”

    More time passed, and his memories haunted him. Every death, every betrayal, every evil act remained in his consciousness on their own accord. He tried to block them out, using his mental strength, but they continued to bash against, as if they were empowered by an unseen force. He screamed throughout the nightmares, the guilt and shame empowered by the roots of the Tree of Life driving away any justification he may have had. The sadness of never seeing his family—the core of his actions in life—only amplified his pain.

    In a brief moment of peace, he huddled in the corner, rocking on his feet. His eyes closed, he couldn’t bear to see the realm he had doomed himself to, all while saying in his mind: “I deserve this—all the death, carnage, and loss brought me here. All of it.” He dug his claws into his skin, but nothing bled; his body was immune to harm. He cursed and thought, “Let me fade and die…I don’t deserve to exist. I should never have been born.”

    The nightmares returned, and he screamed once more. He banged his head against the walls, feeling no pain, yet receiving temporary respite from the plaguing memories. Yet it did nothing to drive away the overflowing guilt of his life, no matter the good he had done before his spiraling downfall.

    In one moment of agony, Arthus stood erect and screamed, “I should never have taken you, Arceus! I should never have denied you! You are the only way to joy! You are the only way to peace! I beg of you—make it stop! AAUUGH!” He pounded his fists against the floor and sobbed, his final memories with Cassia returning to him in a torrent.

    What felt like years later, the memories stopped. He kept praying for Arceus to save him, just as he had done as a child, years ago. He realized that his torture had ended and stood upright.

    Unsure he looked up. “Ar…Arceus? Is it…over?”

    The gate of his cell lifted, and the Zoroark paused, opening his eyes and lowering his arms. The pure, blue eyes stared at the Lucario, no anger or chill in their gaze.

    Arthus wrapped his arms around himself, looking away from the Lucario. “Matheus…you’ve come.”

    Matheus remained still. “Yes, Arthus. I’ve come.”

    Arthus turned away from him, burying his face in his arms. “Leave…please. I can’t bear seeing a Pokémon I hurt—especially you.”

    Matheus stepped inside. “You aren’t the same Pokémon that died.”

    Arthus paused. “Torture…that’s what it was. All the Pokémon I killed return to haunt me. All the lives I ruined, all the families I broke…all because I claimed I had a better way.” He shook his head. “But I couldn’t rely on myself in that torture, or anyone else. Only when I pleaded for Arceus did I feel peace.” He slumped his shoulders. “It feels…strange, for me to say it. Arceus never made a mistake; I did. I strove for good things, and good things happened. He let us have choice so we could make a better future than he ever could. He can create, but we can aspire.”

    He turned back to Matheus, avoiding his gaze. “I always knew it…I just let the darkness of the world crowd my vision.” He pressed a hand against his forehead and groaned, “You…Azure…Cassia…Erik…Laryon…everyone suffered because of me. I became the darkness I wanted to destroy. Gregorius tempted me, and I took his bait. I acted under his beliefs…and look what happened.”

    He fell to his knees, sobbing. “Just leave me, Matheus. I’m worthless. Pathetic. All that rage and death was a means to hide my sorrow. The only thing that made me happy after I emerged from the cocoon was my sweet Cassia…and even she saw the monster I was.”

    Matheus remained silent. He slowly walked to Arthus and set a paw on his shoulder. Arthus flinched, staring at Matheus, then at his paw.

    Matheus stood still. “Arthus…do you remember what we always said about each other?”

    Arthus sniffed, nodding. “That you kept me from madness—”

    “And you kept me from killing myself. We meant it in a joking way, but it was true. We kept each other in check, with your concern for others’ wellbeing countering my recklessness, and my positive outlook on Equivos countering your negative. Without each other, we both fell from grace.”

    Matheus lowered his head and closed his eyes. “It was my fault you changed. If I had never left for the Isle of Regret to complete the Trials, none of this would have happened.”

    “No.” Arthus pulled away. “I’m the one who found Gregorius. I’m the one who used the Edge. I’m the one who stole Arceus. None of it was your fault. None of it.” He retreated to the other corner and said, “If you’re here to apologize, then it’s no use. I’m the one who needs to apologize. Not you.”

    Matheus remained at the corner. “…You remind me of myself. Broken, dejected—I felt like no one loved me because I had abandoned them in their time of need, and to an extent, it was true. I wanted to hide, to be destroyed, to become nothing if only to avoid guilt.”

    “Unlike you, I deserve it,” Arthus croaked.

    Matheus stood at the door and pointed at Arthus. “You do. There is no denying that. But unlike most Pokémon here in the roots, you have a chance to redeem yourself—all because you realized that Arceus could save you.”

    Arthus’ eyes widened. He threw himself at Matheus’ paws and pleaded, “Please, please, let me be free! I will do anything, anything, to get rid of this guilt, this sadness, everything!”

    Matheus grimaced, shaking his head slowly. “If only it were so simple. First, I must ask you a question.” He leaned in close and held Arthus’ head still. “Will you renounce everything you previously believed, and proclaim Arceus to be your only path, even if it means you remain down here forever?”

    Arthus hesitated. He considered all he had fought for in the past two-thousand years: to fight Arceus and bring his own vision of perfect world to be. It had been all he wanted, but his ulterior motive was to reverse the consequence of his worst mistake—of killing Corrina.

    He thought of this—but then of when he followed Arceus. In his youth, he imprisoned outlaws, created the Guild, had his family. He had everything he had longed for and could wish for nothing else.

    Yet he had fled the individual who made it all possible: Arceus.

    Slowly, Arthus nodded his head.

    Matheus stared, then smiled. He stepped away and held up his paw. “I cannot guarantee you can exit the roots…but I can assure you that I will come once every month, to reeducate you about Arceus. If and when he sees fit, he will call you to the canopy to join his other followers.”

    Arthus remained on the ground, tear-stricken. He shakily looked up at Matheus. “Can…can I see Corrina? Or Erik? They are all I’ve wanted since I’ve come here…I don’t know how much more I can take without them.

    Matheus’ smile faded. “Those in punishment are not allowed to see those who have proven worthy for Arceus’ presence.” Arthus closed his eyes, fully expecting it.

    Suddenly, Matheus smiled. “But, as servant of Arceus, I asked him to make an exception—but only one.” He rapped his paw against the gate, and it rose, revealing a young female Zoroark wearing a golden pendant around her neck.

    Arthus froze. She stepped inside, bright, contrasting with his stale appearance. He stood up slowly, completely stunned.

    Quietly, Matheus said, “This is the one time you may meet with her before you must continue with your confinement. With time, Arceus may release you.” He paused, then smiled “I look forward to when we can stand together as friends once more.”

    Arthus embraced his wife, rocking with her in his arms “Corrina…I’ve…I’ve missed you.”

    She nodded her head, crying as well. “I missed you too.” She stepped back and clutched his shoulders. “Promise me…come back. Live with me, and Erik, and everyone else. I’ve gone two thousand years without you, and I don’t want to wait two-thousand more.”

    Arthus nodded his head constantly as she stepped away, falling to his knees once more. “Yes…yes…yes…”

    Corrina stepped out of the room, and Matheus followed. As the gate lowered once more, Matheus said, “I will see you next month.”

    The gate gently fell on the wood, and Arthus forced himself to calm. He looked up at the ceiling, and for once in his afterlife, he smiled. “Thank you…Arceus…for letting me see her again…even if it will take me an eternity to truly be with her…” He sat cross-legged in the floor, a familiar wisp of light entering through the gaps of the gate and touching his chest.

    In the center of the tree of life, Arceus watched Arthus from a clear sphere, motionless. He stood in a room with walls thick with books, drifting in and out of their shelves to be written into by golden threads, all joining with Arceus’ arc. They wrote golden letters inside the different works, recording the events of entire worlds in their pages. The shelves spiraled high into the canopy and low into the roots, spreading even into the branches.

    In front of Arceus was a table with designs of all the Pokémon he had created, interwoven with humans amongst them, all beautifully intertwined. A thick tome lay on top of the table, its last few pages being written into by several threads.

    As the last words trailed onto the paper, Arceus said, “All may be brought to happiness as long as they follow my direction, one of peace and love. Treat others like yourself; a simple, yet powerful way to live. If all follow these words, evil shall be no more. Some who follow my words—the most devoted and worthy—may earn the privilege to learn my works, and to create worlds of their own.”

    He closed the book, and another materialized next to it, its pages blank. “The children of Equivos live on with their Keeper and Priestess. Their story has ended, only for another to begin.” His lights began writing rapidly inside as he stamped his foot.

    “My word shall never die, and my work shall never end.”

    End of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Unequivocant
     
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