Chapter 2: The Birth of a Shattered Heart

There's a gentle rustling on the short grass as a fine lady makes each step. She finally arrived at Verdanturf Town. She was welcomed by a gentle breeze. All of a sudden she realized its warmth; moreover, there is the scent of ashes. Her heart began to pound as she looked over the direction which it came from. It was the same direction where she's headed to. She began running towards it. It was at the southern edge of the town, near an unnamed forest. Her body froze as soon as she got into the scene – a scene where the townspeople are scattered around a burning mansion, a few water pokémon firing water guns, and maids running out from the door.

"Milotic, I need you here!" she cried while taking out the pokémon. "We need water. Please fire as much as you can. Now, please, hurry!"

The pokémon, realizing the situation, followed her master's command.

"Milady!" a number of maids came rushing to the alarmed figure. "Milady, we're sorry. The mansion… The master and mistress… They…"

Her heart pounded even more, she could hardly breathe. She rushed into the flames, no longer hearing the cries of those calling out to her.

She ran into each room, hoping to see her parents and calling out to them. Stressed by the heat and diminishing oxygen, she can no longer tell which rooms she has entered. Finally, she opened the door to her parents' bedroom. Once again, she felt her body froze. Puddles of blood have covered the floor. The bodies of her parents, laying side-by-side, are right in front of her. Her Milotic came to her and shot out water gun attacks to extinguish the flames around them. The lady didn't notice her pokémon for she can no longer sense anything. Her eyes never looked away from the cold bodies in front of her until everything turned pitch-black.

Firefighters finally came into the scene along with their pokémon. Leading them is a middle-aged man who began shouting orders. The maids, still can't get away from their panic, came to him and pleaded. "Sir, please help us. Tell them to go inside. The lady rushed in there and hasn't returned yet."

"I'll do it. I'll find her!" a younger man assured the maids, took out his Metagross and rushed inside the burning mansion.

"Ah, that son of mine, I can only hope for their safety," the middle-aged man sighed. "How's the situation?" he asked one of his men.

"Sir, they have reduced the fire by fifty percent. We're expecting it to be totally taken out in a few more minutes."

"I see. I am afraid we arrived late because of the illusionary barrier earlier. Now, how's the investigation on that part?" he asked again.

"Sir, it is according to what you have said. We confirmed that it is done by a psychic pokémon but we failed to locate it."

"That'll be a problem. Please carry on with the investigation. We might be able to find out if there's a connection between that illusion and this fire," the man said, shifting his eyes towards the mansion and noticed his son on Metagross, carrying an unconscious lady.

"Steven! How is she?" he asked with a worried face.

The young man looked to his father. "I don't think she's fine. Although she doesn't have any burns, it seems that she has inhaled too much of the smoke. I'll be taking her to the hospital in Rustboro."

"I know you need to rush, son, but what about Gilbert? Eglantine? Where are they?" his father asked. His face looks more worried.

"Father, Mr. Gilbert, he was killed… His wife as well," he answered, turning his face away. "Now please, I shall go, she needs medical care."

"Killed… I see. Go now, we can't afford to lose her too," the man answered, looking down. His fists are shaking.

The maids of the burnt mansion were about to rush to the young man when he took off the site on his Metagross, not even bothering to tell them where he's taking the lady.

Steven arrived at the Rustboro Hospital in just a few minutes. The nurses came rushing as soon as he slid off his Metagross.

"Sir Steven," one of them called out. "We received a call from your father. Please lay down the patient and well take her now to the emergency room."

He carefully placed the unconscious body on the emergency bed. "Thank you. Please do what's needed."

Steven headed to the front desk and signed on necessary forms. He went to the waiting area afterwards, hoping for the lady's safe health.