July 16th, 1998
The morning was fading into noon and so the sun grew increasingly stronger, making the dry village of Altomare seem to be even drier. The young Ilya Blaire was standing outside of a computer store dressed in simple white canvas shorts and an unbuttoned white collared shirt. The town of Altomare was full of low idle chatter, and was in the midst of afternoon.
"This is awful…" he complained, gazing up at the intense sun.
With a sigh, he simply gazed around at the concrete desert that was Altomare. Its dry atmosphere was nearly endless, having caused the streets to crack and have crevices, and the sidewalk's sunlight sheen to become as dull as a butter knife. Though it was a peaceful town, its citizens lived in harmony and were generally nice people. Ilya felt quite secure himself, yet bored. He leaned back against the building before a sight seized his attention. It was a trainer battle that had just begun, the black-clad trainer of the two had sent out a Ralts against the other's Hoothoot. The black-clad trainer was quite a young man of about 19 years of age, and had a look of disinterest and belittlement on his face. The trainer felt quite proud himself; he was very sure that his Ralts would only know victory. The other trainer was struck with frustration at the black clad trainer's arrogance, and received a scoff in response. Ilya glared and sighed angrily. He kept his eyes pinned on the trainer, watching as his Ralts had made little work of the Hoothoot and had ensured a brief match. The other trainer swore under his breath and hastily returned his fallen Pokémon, while the black-clad trainer grinned on, patting his Ralts and returning it to his Pokéball. Ilya saw that his smug attitude was briefly desecrated, and turned to that of awe and horror.
"What?" he uttered meekly.
Members of Team Rocket were beginning to flood the streets and pathways on foot carrying firearms and crude incendiary devices. They thundered through the streets, from the entrances, and across balconies and bridges. People and their Pokémon were struck with horror, and sought any hiding spaces within the vicinity. Police officers quickly took notice and they, too, were nervous and had a fear of death that dreaded upon their expressions. Silence took Ilya and shock immobilized him. He felt an arm grasp tightly around his chest and wrench him into the alley of the computer store. Instinctively and reflexively, he began to thrash and try to scream.
"Be quiet! Or they'll hear you!" the person hissed, covering his mouth.
Ilya felt his body being slowly released from his emotion's strong grasp, and he was able to function fully within a brief lapse of time. Ilya discovered that his savior was the black-clad trainer, which shot away his remaining emotions as if they were a startled flock of ducks, rendering Ilya's expression cold.
"Oh, it's you." He sneered.
The trainer raised an eyebrow and responded with an awkward stare. They both listened with utmost care to their hostile surroundings. Pokéballs clashing, citizens screaming, and police officers shouting commands could be heard. Team rocket had begun attacking everyone in sight, as well as raiding small marketplaces and stores. Ilya and the trainer gasped as a nearby building began to fall in its position. The screams and sheer sounds of destruction intensified as the ground rumbled and the building fell into a large pile of debris, spewing dust and ruins into the air. The two both began to murmur and worry, as were the few survivors in Altomare hiding. They worried for their safety, for the future and safety of the town. All hope had faded into the roaring flames that had exploded throughout the sky, and the thick black smoke that had accompanied it. It was just then the terror and fire was smothered under a blinding blue light that flashed across Altomare like a nuclear missile. Ilya and the trainer had flinched, and as they stood up they heard a deafening, high pitched cry of Pokémon of great power. Two jet-like figures soared across the sky at break-neck speed, creating an invisible shockwave of energy that pulsated strongly throughout Altomare. And as fast as they had taken off, they disappeared into the ocean. The citizens had gotten very quiet, and as they looked closely, a monstrous fleet of tidal waves was coming forth from the ocean. Its massive crystal-clear sheen and roaring mass thundered with justice ever closer to the dry shores of Altomare. Uproar and hysteria took the citizens and drove them away from the waters, whereas Ilya and the black-clad trainer remained still in the alley, watching. The seemingly endless waves of aqua justice crashed hard against the shores and rained mercy upon the dry, hot plight which held Altomare in its clutches. Team rocket members and their Pokémon were quickly washed out as the waves flooded into the entire city repeatedly, scattering everyone about as if they were leaves in a storm. Ilya staggered backward and shrieked as the alleyway was struck with a wave, causing it to fill up slightly.
"What will happen? What is going on?" he sputtered frantically.
"Tch!" exclaimed the trainer, grasping Ilya once again and pulling him into the back entrance of the computer store.
The inside was dark and cluttered with various computer parts and machines, but it remained dry. The building also had several floors. Ilya followed the trainer up to the second floor, and then crouched below the front window sills with him. The onslaught of waves had washed over the destruction, and had now ceased into small rushes of water. Altomare's dryness and hot climate drowned in the merciless tidal waves of aqua. The flames and destruction brought by team rocket had silenced, and their remains floated calmly in the near ocean that was Altomare. The two jet figures returned to the plaza, not far from the computer store. They gracefully landed upon the shallow water flooding the plaza and let forth soothing cries. One was the deep shade of crimson, and the other a calming shade of blue. A few remaining citizens gathered around the plaza and stood struck with awe and mercy. There were a few rocket members, but they stood away swearing and cowering.
"Let's go." Ilya said, leading the trainer down the steps and out of the store, looking up at the two powerful Pokémon.
The crimson one turned around and stared directly at Ilya, cooing in a low voice. He gulped and stared back, but then something caught his eye. It was a much more advanced looking team rocket syndicate member. The rocket member sprung up quickly and threw two devices shaped like diamonds that rapidly expanded and imprisoned the two Pokémon, causing them to utter shrill cries and collapse to the ground. Ilya felt his vision blurring once more, and his fists had automatically clenched; his teeth began to grit and grind painfully loud as he assumed a clammy-like state, in which his palms and forehead felt moist and red hot. Ilya's eyes faded from chocolate brown to a deep blood red, dark crimson and murderous intent exploding within his irises and anger burning within him while his legs began to force him into a sprint.
"You idiot!" the trainer hissed and tried to seize Ilya, but failed and flailed forward, nearly falling as he struggled and cursed.
Ilya felt an explosion without him as he let forth a roar, and leaped into the air with his solid fist pumped and prepared to land a strike on the now startled Rocket member.
"It is not yours to take!" he shouted as his fist remained inches from the startled Rocket member's jaw.
The Rocket member was thrown away from his reach at the last possible moment, and Ilya stared down in shock at the Rocket member's now severely burned body, and the blood that violently poured from his ears.
"What?" he cried out in question, and he wheeled around to find the crimson creature nearby, free from the diamond prison.
The creature stared curiously at Ilya with large, topaz eyes which seemed to pierce directly into the boy's mind. It assumed the expression of awe, not at Ilya's now nervous expression, but at a uniqueness that lay deep within his soul. It looked at Ilya as if he himself was a Pokémon. 'You must not let them succeed.' Ilya jumped. The voice echoed throughout his head as he stared into the creature's now blindingly blue eyes. 'They're going to do something horrendously evil. Don't trust that trainer you've been with.' He nodded, almost obligated to do so. The creature hastily stopped, and took off into the sky within short moments. Ilya now felt a sense, a power within him as courage now filled his heart. Before he turned to walk, he noticed the Rocket administrator's body, covered with burns and blood as well as a shiny ID card.
"Hmm?" Ilya hummed as he reached down to snatch it.
"SASAKI, DAISUKE DOB: 1/28/73 Senior Executive of Altomare R-"he dropped the card, startled as a nearby explosion stirred the atmosphere.
The card's sleek silver sheen glinted off of the sunlight's meek rays which flittered down into the murky water from above. Ilya drove his arms down deep to grasp the swimming glimpse, but as he calmed after flailing, it was nowhere to be found.
"Damn it!" he exclaimed in anger, and turned away quickly toward the city's exits.
The town was half submerged under thick and cloudy water, which had many a wide variety of debris and corpses littered within it as Ilya trudged through it carelessly.
He was glad to have reached the outskirts of Altomare, and relieved to have avoided any further danger, at least at the moment. The black-clad trainer seemed to be waiting for Ilya as he calmly resided on the dry ground far from the city, and he gave Ilya a concerned glance.
"What do you want from me?" Ilya questioned, glaring.
The trainer's eyebrows rose.
"I thought you needed some help." He shrugged.
"Yeah well, I can take care of myself." Ilya responded coldly, reaching dry ground and quickly fleeing the city.