We finally found the center room after a labyrinth worthy of Turnback Cave. The Magma Stone was sitting in the middle on an altar. We went up to it and looked at it. It looked like a giant ruby.
''Well, that was easy.'' I said, picking up the stone. The entire mountain began to shake. I quickly returned the stone. The rumbling stopped, and a huge, buglike Pokémon came from one of the winding tunnels. ''Or not.'' I added. The buglike Pokémon walked up to us. I looked at Ayume. ''I'll just ask for the Magma Stone. I'll drop in Xyrule's name. Maybe they're friends.'' I whispered. Ayume nodded, and I looked at the buglike Pokémon. ''I presume that your name is Heatran, isn't it?'' I asked it. It looked at me with its flame orange eyes and nodded.
''Ran. Heat ran.'' it said. Yes. I am.
''How have you liked living here?'' I asked. Heatran shrugged.
''Tran Heat ran heatran. Ran tran hea an tran.'' Can't complain. Though it does get lonely here.
''I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know Xyrule?'' I continued, dropping the Creator's name into the conversation. Heatran's eyes lit up, and he rose higher off the ground.
''Tran Heatran Heatran ran anr reat Heatran ran tran.'' he said more excitedly. He's one of my greatest friends. He comes by here every thousand years or so to see how I am. But how would a human know the Creator?
''He sent me to ask you for the Magma Stone.'' I said, deciding it was time to get to the point. Heatran looked startled for a second, but then looked back at me.
''What is your proof, human?'' he asked (I've decided to just use the usual way that I write translated Pokéspeech. Bold means Pokéspeech). I showed him the Power Plate, and he relaxed. ''I am sorry for the hostility. Not many humans have told me that they know Xyrule. And most of those were either crazy or Team Meteor agents. Xyrule did tell me that he would send someone to collect the Magma Stone intact. And he said to give a message to the person when they receive it. But I am afraid that I cannot give you the Magma Stone. Its power is not controlled by me. I was created after it, and so can only guard it. I have no other idea for receiving it.''
Ayume thought hard about this while I continued talking with Heatran. ''I have an idea. It's probably been tried before, but it's a start.''
''What is it?'' I asked. Heatran looked at her curiously.
''Replace the Magma Stone with a Fire Stone that's been supercharged with a Fire-Type move. That way, the same amount of power will be there, since the Magma Stone is basically a big Fire Stone.'' she replied. The Magma Stone responded by turning a brighter shade of red. Heatran looked at it, and closed his eyes. A deep hum reverberated in his throat, and he reopened his eyes.
''The Magma Stone's Aura says that that plan might work. Do either of you have a Fire Stone?'' Heatran said.
''I do.'' I said, reaching into my backpack, which also returned to me every day. I pulled out a Fire Stone, which was brighter than usual, being so close to the Magma Stone. ''Heatran, you're the only one here who can use any Fire-Type moves. Does Magma Storm wear you out?''
Heatran shook his head. ''I'll be fine. Place the Fire Stone on the floor, and get behind a tunnel. You don't want to be around when I use the Magma Storm.''
We went into another tunnel, mainly for politeness since both of us were immune to pain, and felt a huge blast of heat as the Magma Storm took effect. We waited for a few more minutes until Heatran said it was okay to come back in.
The entire chamber was scorched, except for the Fire Stone, which glowed brighter than even the Magma Stone, the Magma Stone, and Heatran, who was lying on the ground.
''Are you okay, Heatran?'' Ayume and I asked worriedly. Heatran looked at us with crossed eyes. He shook his head, and his eyes went to normal.
''I'll be fine. I think that the Fire Stone is even more powerful than the Magma Stone. Look.'' We looked at the Fire Stone, which was floating a foot in the air.
''Now, we need to place it where the Magma Stone is now, and hope that this works.'' Ayume said. I went over to the Fire Stone to hold it, but Heatran moved in the way.
''It is too hot for a human to hold. I can carry it for you.'' he said, opening his mouth to bite the stone. He jumped back and spit it out. ''It is too hot for even me to hold it. How are we going to move it?''
''Watch.'' I said. Heatran looked at me. His mouth had scorch marks from the Fire Stone. I reached for it, and Heatran made to stop me again, but Ayume held him back.
''Just watch.'' she said. Heatran stopped trying to stop me. I held my open hand around the Fire Stone, and closed down on the floating rock. The stone caught fire, as if trying to escape my grasp, but I held on. I brought it to the altar where the Magma Stone lay, and removed it. The volcano began to shake. I quickly put the Fire Stone on the altar, and it stuck to the ground. The rumbling stopped.
I looked at the Magma Stone, which still shone brilliantly in my hand. '''Well, Step 1 is complete.'' I walked back to the others. Heatran looked stunned, staring at me.
''How are you not burned? Even I could not hold that Fire Stone.'' he asked.
''You'll see at sunset.'' I said simply. Heatran looked confused. Ayume knew exactly what I meant.
''Sunset is in ten minutes.'' he said. How he knew that when he lived in the center of an active volcano, I don't know.
''What's the next part of the quest?'' I asked. Heatran shook off the surprise and looked back at me.
''Next, you have to capture Giratina. He knows the next part.'' Heatran said.
I thought for a minute. ''It's strange how so far, everything's in Sinnoh.'' I said. Heatran chuckled.
''Giratina does not live in Sinnoh. He lives in the Reverse World, which is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. And do not think that it will be easy. Giratina still holds a grudge against most humans.''
''I know. I've met him. He's a friend of mine.'' I said. Heatran sensed that I was telling the truth, and looked surprised again.
''I'm guessing that it will be explained to me at sunset?'' Heatran asked. I nodded. ''Then I must only wait five minutes for an explanation. This had better not be a trick.''
''I got the Magma Stone without destroying Sinnoh, didn't I?'' I asked. Heatran sighed.
''I know. Whoever you are, you are clearly a powerful being indeed. I am glad to be your friend.''
''Thank you.'' I said. Heatran began to lead us out of the volcano, since we had gotten very lost in the twisting tunnels.
Five minutes later, Heatran stopped. ''It is sunset.'' he said, looking back at me.
I nodded. After a few seconds, while the sky outside darkened more, my body began to change, as it did every sunset. The blades came from my elbows and forearms, and a crest came from my head. After a while, I had fully transformed. Heatran didn't show any visible surprise this time, looking directly at me.
''The Blue Sword. That explains everything. By day, you are human. By night, you are a powerful fighting machine. I remember Giratina telling Arceus once, during a Meeting of Legends, that one of his human friends had been cursed. Although, that was three hundred years ago. You could not have lived that long.'' Heatran said. I looked down. Heatran nodded. ''I see. Flarimist didn't miss anything, did he? Well, I hope that you succeed. And by the way, is your friend also cursed?''
Ayume nodded, and changed into her true form, the glowing green light that hovered just above the ground. When she was sure that Heatran had seen her, she changed back. ''Also by Flarimist. Red and I both hate him.''
Heatran chuckled again when he heard Ayume say my pseudonym. ''You cannot deceive a Legendary Pokémon who is as old as I am. I may only be an infant compared to the likes of Arceus or Fortellint, but I am older than Sinnoh is. I know your name, Ash Ketchum. It rings clear throughout the entire Xyrullean Complex, for both the good you did during your journey and the bad that ended it.'' he said.
''What did I do wrong? I can't remember.'' I asked. Heatran chuckled again.
''You will find out if you succeed in your quest.'' he said simply. We saw stars up ahead. We had reached the outside of the volcano. Heatran stopped as soon as he got all the way outside and looked up, taking a deep breath. ''It has been so long since I saw the outside world. It is even more beautiful than I remember.'' He said something else that we couldn't hear.
''What?'' I asked. Ayume was currently still looking at the Magma Stone, which glowed bright in the night sky. Heatran looked straight at me.
''I shall tell you when you succeed.'' he said, ''Goodbye, Ash Ketchum and Ayume Dragonfriend, and good luck.''
With that, Heatran turned around and reentered the volcanic tunnels. Ayume looked at me.
''Well, how do we get to the Reverse World?'' she asked me. I thought.
''Well, since Giratina has a connection with both mirrors and the Griseous Orb, maybe if we get both in the same place, the portal to the Reverse World will open. That's the only way that I'm going to use that I know.''
''What way won't you use?'' Ayume asked.
''Forcing the Gratitude Pokémon Shaymin to absorb poisons that it ends up ejecting with a massive amount of power, thus creating a portal. I'm not using Shaymin again.'' I said. Ayume nodded, as if she understood. We began to walk.
Later, after dawn had arrived, we entered Eterna Forest. As we went deeper, there seemed to be more flowers and grass than usual. A larger number of Pokémon seemed to be gathering as well. I asked one of them what was happening.
''There is a dying Legendary Pokémon on the Mossy Rock.'' it said fearfully, looking at the center of the clearing. We went through the maze of Pokémon, and saw the Legendary. It looked like a tiny, green hedgehog, with a single flower on its left ear. The flower was grey and wilting, and the green fur was turning dark as well. The Pokémon's face was contorted with pain. The creature was rolled into a tight ball.
''Come on.'' I said, ''We need to get Shaymin to a Pokémon Center. Now.'' I picked the dying Gratitude Pokémon up carefully, and it shuddered at my touch. I quickly told the Pokémon there where I was taking it, and ran off, with Ayume following close behind.
While we were running, Shaymin opened one eye slowly. She saw who it was carrying her, but was too weak to resist. I looked at her and smiled. ''We'll get you healed in no time.'' I said. Shaymin smiled weakly, then fell back asleep.
Eventually, we made it to the Pokémon Center. The Nurse Joy immediately dropped what she was doing to go see how she could help the Legendary Pokémon. ''The only way to save it is to have someone else take its pain.'' she said. Ayume and I looked at each other.
''I'll do it.'' I said. Nurse Joy looked at me.
''This Shaymin's pain is greater than any human can hold. You might die.'' she said.
''Shaymin's a Legendary Pokémon, and I can take it. I have...more stamina than most.'' I said. Joy nodded, not even questioning that strange comment, and instructed me to try and see into the limp Gratitude Pokémon's mind. I did easily, as she already knew me.
''Now, let the pain flow through you until it is completely gone. I will tell you when to stop.'' Joy said. I obeyed, and I felt Shaymin get stronger under my hands. After a while, I heard Nurse Joy say to stop, so I did. I looked at Shaymin. She looked completely healthy.
As we watched, Shaymin's eyes opened slowly, she yawned, then stretched. After that, she looked at me.
''Thank you, Ash. You saved my life, even though you had your own task to complete.'' she said telepathically, rubbing her head on my arm. From my memories of Shaymin, this was a very strange reaction indeed, as Shaymin had constantly demanded me to thank her the last time we met.
''You're welcome. And I couldn't let you die. That would be really, really bad for the entire Pokéarth. And you're a friend, even though you don't really like me.'' I said in response. Shaymin yawned sleepily, and looked at me with half-closed eyes.
''I never disliked you, Ash. I only pretended to so that I could test your willpower. You saved my life, even though it might have caused your quest to fail.''
I had learned through my quest so far not to doubt the Legendary Pokémon's knowledge, even though they all seemed to know exactly what I was doing, so I decided to let it go.
I wonder why Shaymin was so sick? I really hope this isn't Flarimist's doing... I thought.
It wasn't Flarimist, Ash. It was a natural sickness. Every Legendary Pokémon gets it at some point in their lives. I'm just not old or strong enough to have cured myself of it. Shaymin's voice said in my mind. It wasn't telepathic, because the others near me would have heard it as well.
I nodded and got up. Shaymin moved to my shoulder as I stood. I remembered bitterly who used to sit there, three centuries ago. Poor Pikachu.
Flashback...
''Come on, guys! Karkhoul's only a few minutes away!'' I called. Pikachu was running next to me, and Iris and Cilan were behind, trying to catch up.
''Wait up!'' they called.
''Pika!'' Pikachu said, which was about the exact same thing that they did.
Suddenly, I heard a whisking noise. The tree beside me toppled over. I stopped and looked at it. There was a huge scythine dart sticking out of it.
''Scytheraptor.'' I said, and heard another whisk. Time seemed to slow as my mind sped up. I sensed where the dart was and ducked. The spike zipped away a half inch from my face. ''Pikachu, use Electro Ball!''
''Pika pika chuuu!'' Pikachu said as he created the ball of yellow electricity and released it at the Scytheraptor. He couldn't see it, but he could sense it. The trees rustled and the Scytheraptor leaped out. It was huge, even by Scytheraptor standards, reaching at least 25 feet. It shot another spike, which grazed Pikachu's chest. Iris and Cilan had caught up, and had sent out their Pokémon as well to fight the rogue Scytheraptor.
''Hydreigon, use Outrage!'' Cilan called.
''Axew, use your own Outrage!'' Iris ordered.
The two other Pokémon continued attacking as Pikachu got up and released another Electro Ball. After ten minutes of nonstop battling, no more darts had struck, and the Scytheraptor decided that its prey fought back too much and left.
''We did it!' I called. I realized that I had spoken too soon. Pikachu collapsed. The dart had gone deeper than it had seemed at the time. It had pierced Pikachu's heart. I held him and tried to clean off the blood, but it flowed too fast. ''Stay with me, Pikachu. We'll get you to a Pokémon Center.''
We ran back to Darna City through the forest. Just as it seemed like we would make it to the Pokémon Center, when we could see the building, Pikachu looked straight at me.
''Don't forget you, Ash.'' he said in Pokéspeech, then went limp. I stopped.
''Pikachu, wake up! Please, wake up!'' I cried. Pikachu didn't respond. I knew immediately that he was dead. My greatest friend in the world was gone forever.
Flashback ended
I thought of all that when I looked at Shaymin sitting on my shoulder. I looked down. ''Arceusspeed, Pikachu.'' I said under my breath. ''Well, we have to return Shaymin back to where she lives.'' I said more loudly. Ayume and Nurse Joy nodded, but Shaymin shook her head.
''Xyrule told me that you would come and help me, Ash. He knew that you would deviate from your path to help me. I decided to help you on your quest in return for saving my life.''
''We're going to see Giratina.'' I said simply. Shaymin shuddered slightly at the mention of the name.
''Alright. And the Griseous Orb is useless for going to the Reverse World, Ash. The only way is filled with traps and snags.'' Shaymin said.
''Well, that makes it all the more interesting, doesn't it?'' I asked. Shaymin smiled.
''It is good to have such a healthy sense of bravery. But you need to remember, nothing is as easy as it seems. Some things can appear safe, but can become lethal. After all, evil always has a way to hide within even the kindest person.''
''Very wise.'' Nurse Joy said.
''Just like Flarimist.'' Ayume said.
''Just like me.'' I said. ''And I can't even remember why.''
''Well, thank you for proving Shaymin's existence.'' Nurse Joy said, ''And good luck on your journey.''
''Thank you for helping heal Shaymin.'' I said. Nurse Joy smiled.
''It was my pleasure. Protecting the Earth's natural beauty is the goal of everyone in this town.'' she responded. We walked out of the Pokémon Center, ready at last to complete the next task.
Back in Eterna Forest...
''We're going to have to find a way to keep you hidden.'' I told Shaymin. ''Not everybody wants to meet a Legendary Pokémon to protect it.''
Shaymin nodded. ''True. But I have complete confidence that Xyrule will not allow someone who wishes to abuse a Legendary's powers to see us.''
''How can you be so sure? I get the feeling that Xyrule made this quest as difficult as possible.'' I answered. Shaymin didn't answer, instead just looking thoughtful and sitting still on my shoulder.
''I think I have an idea. You know how we need to get to the Reverse World?'' Ayume asked.
''Yes.'' I said.
''And how we have no clue how to get to the Reverse World and not use Shaymin?''
''Yes.'' I said exasperatedly, ''We can't get there without knowing how.''
''Well, what Legendary Pokémon that you can think of knows everything about the future?'' she said. Realization dawned on me.
''Fortellint.'' I said. Ayume nodded.
''The Oracle Pokémon can tell us how to get to the Reverse World. And I get the feeling that she is the most likely way.''
''Well, then, let's go to Mount Tambora.'' I said, ''All of us can get enough air to get to the peak.''
Ayume nodded again. Shaymin thought it over.
''I don't see any problems with it. But how do you know that Fortellint will tell you the answer? '' she asked. We went quiet.
''I guess we'll have to take that chance.'' I said. ''Now, on to Palmo!''
Sorry for the ending. I had trouble ending the chapter when I wanted it to, so I had to cut it off. Plus, next chapter kind of depends on this one's ending. R&R, please. That is all.
