Chapter Five
~Tailwind~
The travel to Ice Island did not take long. Barely three hours had passed since my escape from the cavern on Fire Island when my boat approached the frosty shore. Unlike Fire and Lightning Islands, this island's landscape was made of solid ice, true to its namesake, I supposed. Frozen palm trees stood in the sun as a cold mist hung low over their branches, not threatening to melt despite the intense rays.
I steadied my feet as I stepped onto the glacier and surveyed the landscape. Unlike the other islands, this one did not have a pillar or crater in the middle; it was much flatter, though there was a small structure on the other side of the island. There was something else. My heart skipped several beats as memories came flooding back.
My hands shook as I depressed the button. Gears whizzed as the console beeped, obliging. A smirk danced across my face as I watched four of my electromagnetic capture devices spun through the air toward the great guardian of the sea.
The three titans of Fire, Ice and Lightning were combating the larger bird but they were of no concern to me; they were merely the keys to unlocking the prize, Lugia. I gripped the arms of my chair painfully tight and my knuckles soon turned white as I saw the four diamonds ensure the myth in their electrical web. Soon he would be mine.
Bile rose in my stomach. I watched as Lugia shrieked in pain, crashing into the icy water below. I permitted myself a chuckle seeing that little boy who set my other collectables free fall into the ocean with his little rat. But it all changed. Lugia rose from the water, still struggling with the bindings, his face contorted with rage. Though at least 300 metres away, my eyes locked with his. There was something in them. I could not explain it but that moment, for the first time in my life, I was afraid.
Millions of small rays of light shot from the beast's mouth, snaking together to form an orange beam of deathly beauty. Lugia brought the ray down, sweeping it across my airship, destroying it and trapping me inside. The computers shot sparks at me, metal girders fell all around me and snow from the nearby hill avalanched down upon me…
Shaking my head, I threw the memories from my mind, still unable to believe that, after all these years, I had found my old fortress. The red of its scaffolding winked at me in the sunlight through the frost. The only unnatural bump in the landscape. I ran toward the structure now encased in ice and buried under snow. I skipped over the stalactites that attempted to trip me. I was out of breath and my lungs strained themselves to tell me that I must stop but I ignored them, it was unimportant.
I climbed through one of the broken windows and slid down to the floor. Frost lined the lavish walls. Drapes swayed stiffly with the icy breeze that flowed in through the broken windows. Sparks leapt from the frayed wires and cracked computer monitors. The ship lay in ruins.
"Computer!" I called nervously, not expecting an answer.
"Welcome, Mr. Lawrence," the computer's monotone voice replied; my heart beat faster.
"Oh my- You're alive! When did your sensors last go offline?"
"Seven years ago."
"Hmm. Do you remember how you came to be stranded here on Ice Island?"
"Yes." The monitor nearest to me fizzled and sparked into life. The scene of Lugia's Aeroblast (as I coined it) was replayed exactly as I remembered it.
"Is that the last time your sensors went offline?"
"No." I was not so much shocked as I was excited. Perhaps my ship's scanners would provide some answers to the whereabouts of these islands' residents.
"Replay the last events before they went offline on the console." My heart's pace quickened. It was only a matter of time. The screen flickered to life again as the three islands that surrounded Ice Island appeared. I watched intently, straining my eyes and squinting unnecessarily, hoping to see a sign of movement, a wing, a tail, something. There was nothing. The odd seagull flew from one island to another but nothing else except the ocean's waves moved.
"Computer, search your memory for the following life forms: Lugia, Zapdos, Moltres, Articuno."
"One hundred and fifty seven thousand matches found."
"Search for the latest life signs from each of them and display each on the screen." Immediately, the screen divided itself into four sections; each showed one of the legendary birds rising from their respective nests. My heart rose into my throat, blood pounding in my ears as I hungrily watched, absorbing every minute detail. I was taken aback to see Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos fly off in one direction but Lugia flying off at a slightly different angle.
"Any idea what their trajectory was?"
"Unable to ascertain. The birds, Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno, according to all available data, were heading north. Lugia was travelling northwest."
"What's north?"
"The Kanto region."
"…And northwest?"
"The Johto region."
"Interesting…" Finally, some answers. Now I only needed one more. "Computer-"
"Power levels: Critical."
"Please, one more thing." I could not let her give in now; not when I was so close. "Scan the local vicinity for anything matching the composition of the Treasure of Ice."
"Scanning…No matches found."
"Hmm, thank you. Computer?"
"Power level: Critical."
"Rest in peace." The screen blanked and the incessant buzz of machinery silenced. I extricated myself from the now dead airship through the same window I entered. The knowledge of the birds' whereabouts was too good. I would finally achieve my dream of bringing Lugia to its knees.
A new resolve brewed within me; my objective was taking shape. I could see the titans and the guardian more clearly than ever before. I did not know exactly where but my search had been narrowed down infinitely by this knowledge. Stepping onto the frozen shoreline, I walked toward the boat. I could not sail to Kanto myself, not knowing the way, and I suddenly regretted disposing of that brute.
I sat down at what passed for the dining table and buried my face in my hands. How was I going to get to Kanto? Dots appeared in my vision as I vented my frustrations through digging my palms into my skull. I wracked my brains trying to find a solution. To help me think, I slipped my hand into my rope and pulled a PokeNAV from the pocket, placing it on the table. Flicking it open, I selected "Home" from the list of stored phone numbers.
"Hello?" My servant's voice rang over the receiver.
"Johns? Is that you?" I asked, exasperated.
"Yes, sir, it is. What makes you call? Where are you?"
"I'm in the middle of the Orange islands, just off the Coast of Ice Island to be precise. I need to get to the Kanto region but have no idea how to get there. Any ideas?" I did not hold much hope but felt the need to ask.
"Perhaps, sir, I could download the data for your location into your PokeNav via this connection? That would provide the direction you would need to travel." I could not believe my ears. It was as though fate was handing me these birds on a silver platter.
"Can you do that? Will it work?" My voice broke with excitement. My skin was on fire; I shook from the sense of impending success.
"I certainly can, sir. I'll do it now." The screen of my small palm-top computer displayed the file transfer request. Slowly, small green blobs took shape in a mass of blue: a bird's eye view of the four islands around me appeared on the screen and three quick beeps heralded the completion of the transfer. I revelled in the information for a few moments before replying to my butler.
"…Th-thank you, Johns. This has been a great help."
"You are most welcome, sir. May you find whatever it is you're looking for." A dial tone told me the connection was broken. I studied the map, becoming ever more intrigued by it. According to this map, I would have to pass by the main island of the group to get to Kanto; perhaps more clues could be found there?
Though the largest island of the collection, it was the simplest. The island I have since christened 'Nexus Island' bore a basic landscape. The northern part of the island was decorated with lights that twinkled in the fog whipped up from the sea. However, the south end was far more simplistic. A cliff rose from the water, descending to the township. The entire cliff structure lead to an elevated platform facing Ice Island.
I circled the island with little difficulty and determined that fewer involved parties would be best. I moored the ship at one of the lower plateaus of the southern coast. After stepping off the boat, I was surprised to see a flight of stairs leading up the cliff-face. They were perfectly carved into the otherwise rough and rocky stone mound. Small patches of vegetation were visible, lining the stairs. Slowly, I ascended the hillside, reaching the top to find a shrine enclosed by six stone pillars.
Cautiously yet curiously, I approached the platform. A pattern was traced on the floor to encircle the pillars. On the unbroken areas symbols were carved. I recognised them immediately as matching those found on the prophecy. Atop a pedestal stood a structure shaped like a creature I knew all too well, Lugia. In its 'stomach' stood a small chamber with three stands. So this was the camp of those children that interfered with my destiny?
"What brings you here?" I heard a voice from behind me. Whipping round, I saw a Slowking staring at me, a strange oblivious intent in its eyes.
"You can talk?" My confusion verbalised itself before I could assess the situation.
"Yup!" Slowking announced happily. "So what brings you here?"
"I'm looking for evidence of unique Pokemon in this region for a television broadcast." I revived my pseudo-reality.
"Oh…maybe I can help?" The Pokemon's innate helpfulness came out.
"Perhaps you can. How?"
"Well, look at the inscription on that statue in front of you," it instructed before commencing to read the tablet to me, "Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice, or Lightning, lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash.
Though the water's Great Guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fail. Thus the Earth shall turn to ash. O, Chosen One, into thine hands bring together all three. Their treasures combined, tame the beast of the sea."
"Yes…Very interesting." It may not have all the answers but it knows something and it will tell me.