My breathing was slow, almost as if my body was in a trance. I wanted to stay longer but I had woken up an hour ago with no hope of falling back into the great abyss they called sleep.

Out here, sleep was overrated by most everyone. They thought it was a waste of time, but I considered it my few hours in heaven.

I cracked open one of my eyes to see if anyone was still in the room. The last time I had attempted this, Shelly was in there yelling at someone to get up.

Now that I think about it, that someone may have been me.

My vision was still a little blurry after keeping my eyes closed for a while, but I could tell I was alone. Smiling to myself, I pulled off the covers and walked over to the desk that had been set up for me. It was quite plain, nothing out of the ordinary. There was occasionally the odd bump or two on its metal surface, but it was normal.

I pulled my blanket around my shoulders and walked over to the desk, sitting in the attached chair. I reached inside the drawer closest to the door and pulled out what appeared to be a set of pencils.

In reality, it was a set of charcoal drawing sticks. This particular set Father had gotten me had an eraser and everything!

It was absolutely perfect for the project that I had been assigned.

You see, the one thing I was good at was reading. Well, reading and drawing. I had an incredible ability to visualize and that's what got Father to thinking I really needed a place in the Team.

My task was simple: To read all the texts on Kyogre and determine what its mysterious power was by drawing as I read about it.

I'd already read through half the books, but they weren't very helpful. I'd honestly been more interested in how and where Father had acquired these texts. The way these were written was extraordinary! It was almost as if a fairy tale had crossed over with a textbook, making it more like a legend than anything.

I had made several different drafts of what my final sketch would look like, which was a good thing; there were many different descriptions of Kyogre that I'd read.

I pulled out a large book with a worn golden cover. The title was simply "Hoenn Myths." It illustrated the three main legendary Pokemon of Hoenn; Kyogre, Groudon and Rayquaza. Kyogre was under what I imagined was the ocean, Groudon was standing majestically on top of a volcano, and Rayquaza was flying inside a thunderhead.

I stared for a minute longer at the scene and opened the book. It was filled with symbols I didn't understand, and immediately I knew it was going to be a good source of information.

I didn't want to leave and interrupt Father from whatever he was doing, but I couldn't just sit by and stare at what might as well have been a blank page. I looked around, seeing if there might've been something I'd missed, like a hint for what symbols these were.

I flipped the book upside down and brought it close to my face, peering at a suspicious looking smudge.

"What are you doing?"

I let out a small shriek and dropped the book.

"Geez didn't mean to scare you there." I grabbed the cool desk to calm myself. I'd always been easily spooked. "Seriously though, you looked like Matt reading that. What were you doing?"

When my heart slowed down to a normal level, I turned my head and saw Shelly standing in the doorway.

I didn't answer her question. I only placed the book down and gave her my signature look that said "leave."

"Fine then. Don't tell me," Shelly said. I didn't dislike Shelly; she just tried too hard to be my friend. She walked towards the back of the room, tossing something as she did so.

I caught it with ease. It was a little red and white box. "What's this?" I asked.

"Oh nothing. Your father wanted me to deliver it to you. He would have done it himself, but he's incredibly busy."

"Yeah. I know," I sighed. I felt Shelly's pitying gaze latch onto me and I quickly changed the conversational mood. "By the way, do you consider delivering something to be the same as throwing it at someone?"

Shelly laughed at little. "When it comes to you? Yeah."

"I feel so loved."

"Good." I heard the sound of Shelly's suitcase closing.

"So, what were you after?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. You obviously came in here to grab something!" I persisted.

"You know, you're pretty sharp for a thirteen-year-old kid," Shelly commented. Did she really think I was that stupid?

Fine. If she wasn't going to tell me, then I'd have to play the guilt card. I had always wanted to know what was going on in the organization, but unfortunately, I'd have to settle for bits and pieces of information.

"Yeah, a kid who never had a father," I said bitterly.

Shelly sighed, walked over to me and held up a piece of paper with what looked like an address on it.

"What's that?" I asked in a completely non-interested tone.

"Negotiation address." I looked at Shelly in surprise. With who?

As if she could read my mind, Shelly spoke softly. "Team Magma is trying to get us to give them something in exchange for something else."

"Yes, I'm well aware of what a negotiation is." This surprised me. I'd heard of Team Magma before, but never had they been able to stand us, much less negotiate with us. "What do you want from them?"

Shelly grinned. "Information."

"About?"

"Stuff."

"Good to know," I muttered sarcastically. "I just love being in the dark with everything you guys do."

"Great! Well, just in case this goes poorly, how about a nice goodbye for once?"

Goes poorly? What could she mean by that? Is this a trap or something?

Shelly looked at me curiously. "What?"

"If you know it might have risks, than why are you going?" I almost yelled at her. Sure, Shelly wasn't my favorite, but with rumors of a new power rising here in Hoenn, I was scared.

"You'll understand when you're older." Shelly shrugged at me nonchalantly.

"But… What about this seems like a good idea?" I knew I had to try to reason with her logically, but the more important question I had was if Father was going. I hardly ever saw him, and it pained me to think that I might never see him again.

"Nothing at all Astoria. But there are some things that are more important than the risks that come with them. You need to remember that in the future." The future? What are you talking about?! You hardly ever make sense, but this is something else entirely!

"What could be more important than your safety?"

Shelly let out a small laugh. "Lots of things. It really all depends on what kind of person you are."

"What kind of people are there?"

She thought for a few seconds before replying. "There are people like your father, who can blur the lines of what they are really after with the lines of what it looks like they're after."

I stared back at her with a blank expression. "You lost me."

"Look, what I'm trying to say is that I can't tell you anything at all. All I'm doing is making conversation," Shelly said.

If I was confused before, now I was completely bewildered. "Are you saying that my father has ulterior motives?"

Shelly grinned. "I have to go now. Promise me you'll get something done while I'm gone," she said.

That conversation ended quickly, I thought. "I'll try Shelly, but I don't make promises."

"Good to hear." She walked out of the room, leaving me once again in solitude. Thousands of questions were bouncing around in my head, making me want to follow her although I couldn't.

The only thing I could do was stare at the box in my hand. So, what are you for? Shrugging, I set it down and picked up the book. I'd never seen those symbols before, but it wouldn't hurt if I looked at them again.

And a few hours later, my whole world came crashing down.

(Seven years later)

The rain was pouring down my face and bouncing off the mighty tower that was the military command station. Thunder was rare for this part of Hoenn, but it echoed across the sky and over the sea. It'd been four years since I'd last been here and I felt anxious.

Very anxious.

Through the process of sorting mail sent to my various addresses, I had happened to stumble upon one to the only address I hadn't given any records of. It had been a letter of invitation, dealing out many threats to myself and my kin.

It also offered the one thing I couldn't get myself, and that was enough for me to say yes.

What are you stalling for Astoria? Are you scared? I knew very well that I looked like an idiot just standing there, but I was scared.

I was on the island that once was home to the mighty Battle Frontier of Hoenn, now occupied by only the Tower. Few came here at all in their lifetime, but fewer ever came twice.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. "It'll be fine. Everything will be fine," I whispered to myself. I was in no way ready for what was about to happen.

It felt like I had swallowed one of those horse pills and couldn't get it down. That was how nervous the situation made me.

I lowered my head, suddenly having second thoughts. I can't go through with this, I thought. Everything about the arrangement had been sketchy in the first place, but now it seemed like I was walking to my death.

Just think about everything they promised. Think about everything you'll gain. I rolled back the right sleeve of my jacket and looked at the gold charm bracelet on my wrist. It had been what was in the box Shelly had given me seven years ago, occupied with only one charm: the symbol of Team Aqua. I'd thought nothing of it until I saw the keystone in the center of the A.

Seven years later, that bracelet was one of my most valued possessions. It reminded me of why I was there to begin with.

"Coward," I hissed. I'm not going to let these thoughts beat me! Feeling a rush of newfound adrenaline, I rolled the sleeve forward and marched towards the door. Like I'd expected, it wouldn't open until I presented a relevant piece of identification.

I didn't have any military access, so I flashed my RIC (regional identification card) instead, praying that whoever sent me the letter would let me in.

The light above the door flashed green. Success!

Now all I had to do was find the floor and room I was supposed to be in. It wasn't impossible, but it was definitely a challenge. I hadn't set foot in that wretched place for four years, but suddenly I was supposed to remember where everything was? Dear Arceus these people were cruel.

As I stepped through the doors, the air around me seemed to chill, and I felt claustrophobic even though the building had a high ceiling. Yep, it was that wonderful feeling of being trapped. It brought back awful memories of years past when I was being beaten while I was bloody, bruised and barely breathing.

Nothing like the past.

I looked around, noticing immediate changes to the lobby-esque room. The dull gray carpet had apparently replaced with new shiny tile that I could see myself in, and the layout of the place seemed to have changed drastically.

What the…? How- and when- did they do this?

"Are you lost or something?" I turned and saw a boy with short brown hair behind me, carrying a box twice the size of his head. He had guarded gray eyes and was wearing normal clothing, but one thing in particular stood out to me: two aqua letters sewn into his jacket. He might not have recognized me, but I certainly knew him.

"Actually, I'm… new," I said slowly, as if testing each word before I said it.

The boy looked back at me with a vacant expression. "M'kay? Is that supposed to mean anything to me?"

I let out an irritated sigh. Part of me was upset to even think I needed help to find my way around, but part of me wanted to get on my knees and beg Brendan to tell me exactly where I needed to go. I was surprised that there was no more doubt left in me except on where to go.

"Brendan, I'm begging you! I just got here and I don't even know where I'm supposed to be!"

He looked at me in surprise, and it took me a second to realize I never introduced myself to him. Now he probably thought I was a creeper or something.

"Who are you and how do you know who I am?" He set the box down and glared at me in disgust.

I almost slapped him.

"The military doesn't hire new recruits until spring," I whispered.

Brendan's angry gray eyes suddenly lit up in recognition. "You- you're…"

"Astoria Mizuko, I know," I finished for him.

"What in Groudon's name are you doing back here? You left after all! And no one leaves the military- especially to come back!"

I shrugged. "Got called back with greater payments. What about you? You're the professor's kid! What are you still doing here?"

Brendan's eyes became guarded once more. "Nothing at all. But back to the point at hand, do you happen to know where you are exactly supposed to go?"

"Yes!"

Brendan raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, okay you got me! I have no idea where to go! All instructions I got were to come here and get in. That was it."

"Can I at least see your so called "instructions?""

I slid a neatly folded piece of paper out from the sleeve of my jacket and reluctantly handed it to him.

"Dear Ms. Mizuko, we are pleased to finally make your correspondence… Blah, blah, blah…" Brendan skimmed over the letter twice, reading some parts aloud and others in his head.

After a few minutes of waiting in an uncomfortable silence, Brendan handed me the letter. "Look Astoria, all you have to do is get down to the lowest floor marked on the elevator. After that, I think it should be self-explanatory."

"You were able to get all that from this?!" I asked in surprise as I pointed at the paper.

Brendan let out a small chuckle. "Yeah! It was pretty easy considering it was all in the letter."

"It was?!"

A lady sitting at a desk a couple of yards away looked up from her work and stared at us. I felt hot all of a sudden, like I had done something wrong.

"Keep your voice down," Brendan whispered. "Look, I'm supposed to be at my lab right now but thanks to you I'll be late."

Guilt flooded through me. "Sorry" was all I could get out. I'd never been great at apologizing.

Brendan gestured to his right. "If you follow the main hallway over there, you'll eventually find yourself an elevator."

"Thanks."

"Take care of yourself."

It was an odd choice of words, but now that I thought about it, Brendan had been one of the few people I trusted four years ago. I wanted to talk to him some more, ask him if he thought what I was doing was right. Of course he'll think it's right! He openly admitted to being there for the same reason a few years ago!

Maybe, I would find someone who would weigh the situation for me. But that would come another time.

I had more important matters at hand, like finding an elevator.

Brendan had picked up the box and was walking the opposite way. "Hey! Brendan!"

He turned around, still barely visible behind the massive container.

"You as well." From what I saw he nodded, but it was hard to tell. I did a one-eighty and made my way for the hallway and eventually the elevator.

The feeling of being trapped never left, not even when Brendan was around. I felt like a stranger and was alienated because of the new layout. I know it's not much to ask, but I would've given anything to see old dorms or training spaces, just for the reminder that I survived being here for one year.

One year.

It didn't seem like a long period of time, but it was- especially here.

I let my negative thoughts leave me and continued on the task at hand. My eyes wandered a lot, and I saw Christmas decorations placed on doors and on the walls. It was so ironic I almost laughed. The things these people celebrate were the very things they were taking away from everyone else. No family celebrated Christmas; they had no money. The military took it all away, using it for things like whatever had been in Brendan's box.

It was a shame really. Almost everyone lived in poverty, and for people like me that didn't get the benefits of having a family full of citizens, it was a thousand times worse. It was one of the main reasons that people as young as thirteen and as old as sixty came every spring to apply for the military.

I hated them. I hated the military. I didn't know when exactly they rose to power, but it was a strange thing.

"Ouch!" I cried suddenly. At some point in the thinking process, I must've lowered my head and only been looking at the ground. I had run into a wall, you see, and running into walls hurts. It's not exactly what I would recommend to anyone for a casual hobby.

I hoped no one was around to see that.

I brought my hand up to my forehead, feeling nothing but a small bruise. "Smooth." Looking around, I had no idea where I was. I seemed to find myself in that circumstance a lot today.

And then I heard a ding.

An elevator! I rushed over to where the sound came from and saw it sitting there, almost inviting me. Tension filled my body once again as the full weight of what I was doing hit me.

Father and Shelly wouldn't be very happy with my decision.

The doors opened and people wearing suits and pencil skirts came pouring out, each heading in different directions. They all had the aqua letters too, so I knew I was in the right place.

I waited until everyone was out and walked in, leaning against the wall in a corner. To my surprise, there was another person in there, and he didn't look like he was getting off anytime soon.

"What floor?" he asked me.

I stared at the vast amount of floors the elevator could take me to. It went higher than one-hundred and all the way down to five basement levels. The only lit floor- which I assumed was the boy's- was B5.

"B5," I replied. That was the lowest marked floor after all.

The boy let out a silent laugh. "Okay then. B5 it is." He pushed the button for the doors to close and we began to descend.

I know I should've felt comforted by what the boy's laugh, but in all honesty, it worried me. Was I doing something wrong?

We passed B1.

The boy turned to look at me, his eyes moving up and down. I immediately knew what he was doing.

He was sizing me up.

Fine. I could do that too.

He was slightly taller than me, and probably the same age too. He had dark blue eyes that reminded me of the sea or a dark midnight sky. They made me feel safe, protected, sheltered.

Wait, what?

We passed B2.

The boy had dark blue hair pulled into a neat bun, held back with a white ribbon. The style of it made me think of something, but I couldn't place my finger on it. He was wearing a dark blue t-shirt with a slightly noticeable collar, and he had a medium build. He was also carrying a duffel bag, which I assumed was work related. I also noticed an anklet hidden under his jeans.

He looked strong enough to give me trouble, that was for sure.

But there was one thing I was vulnerable to and it was his eyes. They were calming, but made me break out into a nervous sweat and filled me with a desire to-

"So what floor are you really getting off at?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"I asked you what floor you're getting off at."

His words angered me all of a sudden. "I already told you! B5!"

"I'm being serious" was his reply.

"So am I" was my counter.

We glared at each other, but I avoided looking at his eyes for fear the spell they were putting me under. The tension levels spiked, and I found myself wanting to punch him or something. My heart was racing, and it wasn't just because of his evil gaze. I didn't know what it was.

We passed B3.

"Okay, if you really are heading down there, then why don't you tell me why?"

Why? Oh sure, I'll just tell you my whole life story because that's freakin' why I'm even here!

"Why? I um, received a letter telling me to go down there. It was an invitation for some military division."

The boy's eyes lit up in surprise. "Really?" The change in his eyes made me feel at rest again. "I still don't believe you."

Great.

We passed B4.

He shrugged. "But hey, I'm not one to judge. I'm not in charge after all."

And then I realized who this was. I'd never actually met him, but it made sense. "You- you're Tate! You were the gym leader at Mossdeep!" I should've known right away because of the hair and eyes. He also had this authoritative aura about him, and I knew that was a quality only a few people- particularity gym leaders- possessed.

"How did you…? Bah, never mind."

I'd heard that right after I left, the military began to recruit other people who were trained in specific things. There had been rumors that these people were ex-gym leaders.

"Well, now that you know who I am, how about telling me who you are?"

The elevator stopped and opened. I was going to reply, but my jaw dropped at the scene outside, while Tate seemed unfazed.

"An underwater tunnel?!" I said. Aqua light filled the space, and looking through the glass, you could see that the beginning of the tunnel was on a cliff, eventually going over a deep crevice.

"Nice to meet you too, an underwater tunnel," Tate said mockingly. I gave him the look that said "Not funny at all."

"Are we supposed to follow it?" I asked.

"That's what tunnels are for."

We were at least thirty feet under water and it looked spectacular. I caught a glimpse of a few Carvanha swimming over the abyss, but that was about all life I saw.

"Why is this here? I asked half to myself. I took a step forward onto the glass floor and the sound of my footstep echoed. I sat down on the floor, taking it all in. I was sure Tate was standing behind me thinking I was an idiot.

And maybe I was. This view though… It was breathtaking. I'd always been fascinated with the sea and water pokemon, and this would only immerse me more.

"Ms. Mizuko, it's good to see you arrived," came a voice from the other end of the tunnel. I looked up from tracing the cliff with my finger and saw one person I would not expect.

"We have a lot to discuss, particularly about the incident seven years ago and where you have been for the past four," he said calmly.

It couldn't be.

The former champion and leader of the resistance movement was standing right before my eyes, wearing the crest of the Hoenn military.

Steven Stone had betrayed us.

So how was that? That was my first fic ever, so please give me things I can work on. I'll try really hard not to be offended by any reviews. And I know I didn't explain much, but trust me, it will become clearer later.