Prologue -3: Panic

It started with the Absol. I remember it vividly. Mine had it bad enough.

It was a sunny day in Almia, no sign that anything was wrong. Hell, we were having a picnic.

I watched as my own Absol cheerfully took a bite out of her slice of cake. "You like that, girl?" I grinned, rubbing the tuft of fur behind her horn. She nodded and chirped cheerfully.

"She says that the icing is a bit rich, but it's very good," a voice droned behind me. I turned and saw my Metagross analytically eyeing a sandwich. An experimental purple transceiver with a tiny speaker was strapped to his chin.

A while ago, I and my team had volunteered to test an experimental 'Pokemon translator' the boffins in Johto had come up with. It had technically worked, but it also put incredible strain on the user's brain and prolonged usage would result in permanent damage. Luckily, Metagrosses had four of them, which allowed him to withstand the strain better than any other Pokemon, and I had just so happened to have one in my care. The boffins had promised to figure out a way to fix it, and let me keep the prototype for his use in thanks for the trouble.

Don't get started on 'Metagross don't have gender, blah blah blah'. I don't like referring to living beings as 'it's, and I already get enough of that from my sister anyway.

My whole team was at the picnic. Charizard and Gyarados were squabbling as usual - those two were so good at not getting along, they could probably get arguing certified as an Olympic sport - and I cast a wry glance at Metagross for an explanation as to the topic of their argument.

"I believe that they are arguing over who gets the last of the cookies," the Steel-Type supplied.

I nodded, and whistled to get their attention, snatching up the cookie from the bereft plate. The two paused and balefully glared at me. "Gyah!" the Water-Type spat.

I broke the biscuit in half and tossed each of them one of the pieces.

I heard chuckles, and looked over to the other corner. My Sylveon shook her head, giggling like mad. I sighed, but couldn't stop a smile from playing across my lips. That girl always found something to laugh at.

I had first accepted an Evee egg on a bet from a friend of mine called Rachael. My Sylveon in particular came from a long line of Evees who had, without exception, become Umbreons. She had bet that I couldn't get mine to become anything else.

After she evolved, Rachael had refused to pay up on the grounds that 'I had probably just traded the Evee for a Sylveon, no way that's the same one'. So she was a sore loser. No one's perfect.

I felt a furry body press against me from behind and smiled, turning to see my Luxray eyeing me, his paws on either side of a worn red ball. I rubbed his head affectionately and picked up the ball, seeing him eye it with a cocky smirk. "That's a boy," I smiled, reaching behind me, before bringing my hand up over my shoulder and tossing an object into the air.

Luxray turned and bolted, chasing after the thrown object.

"Is he aware that he is chasing an apple?" Metagross questioned.

"Doubt he minds," I shrugged. "Besides, this thing needs all the help it can get," I commented, holding up the scuffed and mutilated ball for my Pokemon's inspection.

Suddenly, Absol squeaked. I turned to her in surprise as her eyes widened. "What is it, girl?"

"Look up," Metagross advised, and I obliged, casting my eyes skyward.

I was rapidly rewarded by seeing, high above me, a writhing green shape. Immediately guessing its identity, I snatched my pair of binoculars from my backpack and looked up.

Rayquaza's eyes glinted in the sunlight as it crossed the sky. "No way," I breathed, reaching for my Pokedex and activating the camera. It was a rare treat to see a Legendary Pokemon, even from as far away as this, and I rapidly snapped a photograph.

My wonder was interrupted by Absol's scream. I turned in an instant, and my own eyes widened.

The poor Pokemon had her eyes squeezed tight and her forepaws pressed to her ears. I cursed, remembering the last time this had happened.

Days before a major tsunami that had almost wiped half of the Orange Islands off the map.

After watching it be averted by an attendant Lugia, we had decided it was a good time to head back to the mainland. And if she was feeling something similar again, we were in trouble.

I gritted my teeth and lifted my Pokemon onto my lap, wrapping my arms around her neck and stroking her back. Slowly, her breathing became less laboured. "It's okay, girl, I've got ya," I softly told her.

"Ab! Ab ab ab sooooool!" she bleated in panic.

I looked at Metagross as Charizard and Gyarados paused, horror-stricken by whatever she had just said.

"There is going to be a terrible disaster soon," the four-brained Pokemon rumbled.

"Okay, girl. Can you tell us where? We need to spread the word, get people to safety," I frowned.

"That is the issue," Metagross emotionlessly told me. "The disaster is going to happen everywhere. There will be no safe refuge,"

I blinked, uncomprehending. "What? But . . but . . . what?"

"I believe our friend just predicted the end of the world," Metagross sighed. "And I was so looking forward to retirement,"

I booted up the Pokedex' internet browser and checked out the trainer blogs, searching for information.

It took a little while for people to get around to posting and updating their status, and it wasn't like every trainer out there had an Absol, but soon the consensus was clear, between synchronised panics of Disaster Pokemon on several separate continents, video footage of white stampedes, and the fact that every known Legendary Pokemon - and several that weren't - were emerging from their hiding spots and getting on the move.

Correctly guessing my intentions, Charizard and Sylveon packed up the remnants of the picnic.

"Can you handle being returned?" I gently asked my Absol, who nodded. A wan smile crossed my face, and I produced her Pokeball, returning her to the small device.

Almia wasn't big on scientists. The general opinion was 'Let Johto and Sinnoh figure all that out, who really cares?" However, there was one man in my home region who I was happy to call a close friend. Professor Trevors was a genius when it came to understanding how Pokemon energy worked, and how best to take advantage of that energy.

Whatever this fiasco was, he'd probably have a better idea than anyone else I knew.

"We're going to see Professor Trevors, everyone," I nodded, smiling at the two Pokemon who had helpfully gotten everyone back into my bag.

"Lux," my starter agreed, and I affectionately fondled his ears, before returning him, as I did Gyarados, Sylveon and Metagross. "Charizard? Mind giving me a lift?"

The great orange lizard nodded with a smile before extending his back in a clear invitation. "Atta boy," I grinned, shouldering my bag and climbing onto the space between his wings in a well-practised manoeuvre. "Whaddya think, Char? Trevors?"

"Zar, zar," the Flying-Type nodded in agreement, spreading his wings. I remembered just in time to cling to his neck, as, with a mighty leap, he threw himself into the air.

I watched in irritation as my Pokedex tumbled out of my hand and fell to the grassy ground below. "Chari, dude? We gotta go back,"

X

The door swung open as soon as my Pokemon landed, and I promptly returned him, landing carefully on the pavement outside my favourite scientist's door. I quickly checked to make sure I hadn't dropped anything, before stepping forwards and ringing the doorbell.

No response.

Eyes half-lidded in irritation, I experimentally tried the doorknob. It swung open immediately, and I shook my head, stepping inside. It was just like Trevors to forget to lock his own front door.

"Professor!" I shouted, looking around. His house was a cosy place on the ground floor, consisting of a living room, kitchen and bedroom that could have been taken straight out of a furniture catalogue. He rarely used them, most of his time we spent on the first floor.

When, once again, no one answered me, I crossed to the polished-oak staircase and ascended to the next floor.

Unlike the lowest part of the house, the entire first floor was taken up by a single room, with a few pillars in the centre for stability and a long bench running the entire perimeter of the room. This was the Professor's lab, and it looked like a hurricane had thrown a dance party. Papers were strewn at random across the floor, accompanied by an assortment of complex-looking gizmos and parts. A filing cabinet had been laid on its side, and I narrowly avoided tripping over a discarded chair as I looked around.

"I wonder what the Professor's been doing now," I sighed. For a man like Trevors, this was actually surprisingly tidy.

A trapdoor opened in the ceiling and I looked up in surprise, seeing Professor Trevors scurry down the ladder. "Ah, Zach, my boy, what a perfect time for you to show up! I recently managed to acquire something that you should find most interesting!"

I ruefully smiled. I had always said that the Professor was the kind of person who wouldn't quit his research for the end of the world.

It had been funnier when the world wasn't ending.

"Professor. It's the Absol," I interrupted him.

"Yes, yes it is!" he vigorously agreed, rushing over to a bench and snatching up a piece of paper.

I blinked. "You already know?"

"Of course I do, my boy, this is a very important matter!" he rushed out, dashing upstairs again and fumbling around.

"So you've got a plan? Some way to figure things out?" I asked, my excitement mounting.

"Yes, my boy, I do! And I know what the absolute first priority has to be!" he shouted from upstairs, clattering back down the ladder.

"Brilliant!" I grinned. The old man had already come up with a plan to save the world. Perfect. "What do we have to do?"

He whirled to me, holding a small object in his hand. "We have to get this to a tailor!" he declared, showing me a small, round, translucent blue gemstone with a navy-and-white fleck down the middle. "Absolite, Zach! One of my friends in the archaeology department found this, and I just so happened to mention I knew an up-and-coming trainer who would love to have this!" He winked at me with a cheerful grin. "I know your birthday is still a month or two away, but I just couldn't wait!"

Absolite. A Mega-stone. And not just any Mega-stone, a Mega-stone that was directly compatible with one of my favourite Pokemon. On any other day, I would have been thrilled by Trevors' news.

"What? No!" I shouted. "Absol plural, not mine in particular!"

"No, no. We only have the one Absolite, not enough for all of them," Trevors shook his head. "I don't think that much Absolite even exists,"

"You're not listening!" I shouted in frustration. "All over the world, Absol everywhere are predicting an apocalypse in a couple of days!"

He frowned, before pressing the Absolite into my hand and dashing back upstairs. "In that case, my boy, there's something I want you to have,"

I sighed and pocketed the Absolite. What was it now?

Trevors immediately returned, brandishing a yellow device. "Here, boy. Take this, and go figure out what's going on," he commanded.

I blinked, accepting the machine. "What is it?" I queried.

"A pet project of mine. I'd really like more time to perfect it, but if the world's ending, you're gonna need all the help you can get," he told me.

"But . . what can I do? I'm just a kid with a few Pokemon," I frowned.

Professor Trevors smiled ruefully. "Precisely, dear boy. There is no stronger force in this world or any other than a trainer's bond with his Pokemon. Remember that, and off you go," he commanded me, pushing me back down the stairs.

"Huh? Where am I going?" I frowned.

"Sinnoh. You need to find Arceus. If the world is ending, he's the only one capable of preventing it," the man told me.

I paled. My friend had just asked me to find God and convince him to do me a favour. "What? But . ."

"It's our only shot, m'boy. Go!" Trevors shouted at me and closed the front door in my face.

A/N

A/N

Hi everyone! I'm Zero, and this is my first time writing a fic!

Also, this isn't Solar. She's a friend of mine, letting me borrow her account to post this.

Nothing much to say this early in the fic, please R&R! Bye!