I returned to my room in a daze. Vanessa was the enemy? How? She helped me defeat Magma and was one of my best friends. And yet… Manaphy wouldn't be wrong about something like this. But still… does that mean she killed Kellyn? I decided I had to get to the bottom of this.
I went to the corner of the room and picked up Kellyn's backpack. Opening up the zipper, I felt a momentary amount of guilt for going through his possessions. He would want me to find out what was happening. He would.
Inside the bag, I found barely anything: some Ranger supplies sitting in a little neat stack, a map and a notebook. I took the book out, its dusty cover torn in many places. On it was a small metal lock. Again, I felt a small seed of guilt as I brought out a small metal pick and began to work on it. I had learned how to pick locks from Kellyn, and it was quite ironic that I was breaking into his notebook like this.
After a half hour of wiggling, I finally got it open. I opened it, and started reading.
August 8th, 2015. Today I started my journey! It's really exciting. Gold hugged my leg and wouldn't let me go, but he'll be able to go in a few years. I chose Piplup as my starter. He's so cute
-Pokémon Master Kellyn
August 16th, 2015. First gym badge! Pippy swept his team with a breeze. Haha, on my way to becoming champ!
-Pokémon Master Kellyn
A few pages were shown to be torn out, with large rip marks in the border. The next page was splotched in many places.
June 1st, 2017. Pippy died today. I can't keep on going. I'm quitting my Gym Challenge tomorrow. I'll probably go to Almia. I told Jake about this, and he laughed at my sentiment. I'm breaking up with him, that cruel B-.
-Kellyn.
What… Kellyn was gay? That was sort of surprising, and he had never told me why he became a Ranger. It always seemed weird, considering that when we were kids, he always bragged about how strong his Pokémon were. Anyways, I kept on reading.
July 28th, 2017. Saved Almia from Darkrai today. Yay I think I'm getting used to my new partner, but still, he's not Pippy. Team Dim Sun isn't controlled just by the Enterprise. The plan about Darkrai was for some cult, rising this guy named X. Whatever. Signing off,
-Top Ranger Kellyn.
That X guy again. X was definitely some guy with major problems or something. I skipped forward through the notebook, reading more little entries, until one entry caught my eye.
October 30th, 2020. Today I visited home for the first time in years. I saw my family, who welcomed me, and then Vanessa. She has changed so much, and I don't think it's for the better. She wears elegant clothing and goes to strange midnight meetings, in which sometimes she returns with small bruises and cuts. I met Gold also, who has grown really big. I think there's something up with Vanessa.
-Top Ranger Kellyn.
He knew. He started suspecting Vanessa back when we met. And yet he never told me…
I flipped to the next entry.
November 3rd, 2020. Vanessa is a murderer and an extremely strong psychic. I stalked her tonight and saw her torture and kill a man. I can't stop her, and I can't tell anyone, or she'll easily find out. For some reason, she can't read my mind, but she can see what others are thinking. I think the only hope is Gold.
-Kellyn.
Oh god. This confirmed what Manaphy had told me. Vanessa had actually defected. I could see her smiling, angelic face turn slowly into a demon. But was I better? I thought of all the Magma grunts I had killed in the cave-in. They were just innocent, doing their job. I frowned and flipped to the final page.
It's the end. Gold, I hope you read this after I'm gone. I never really told you this, but I loved you. Not just as a little brother, but as something more… and I hope you'll read this and remember me. Elm will kill one of us, I'm sure. He needs one to awaken Groudon, and I'm glad that it's me. Please, though, just do me one last favor. When you meet Vanessa, please don't kill her. She doesn't know what she's doing.
Love, Kellyn.
I stared as tears threatened to spill down my cheeks. Kellyn loved me. He loved me and had done so much, even saving me from death. Could I do it? I looked at his journal, remembered his mangled body, and swore that I would end this.
"Manaphy, I'm leaving." I told the small blue pixie as I went down the stairs.
She looked at me with shockingly large eyes. "But… you just came." Her voice quivered.
"I have to do this. I can't let the world get destroyed." I looked at Manaphy, who still looked extremely frail, and I felt really bad suddenly. She had searched for me so long, and found me, and now I was leaving. I looked around the ocean again, and I suddenly realized why.
"Manaphy… I really don't want to leave, but look around you. The ocean is the beginning of life, and home to so much. We can't let it end and die. It's so pristine and beautiful…" I looked beyond her, towards the ocean. The bright spots of water, holding schools of colorful fish floating around. The dark abyss, with who knew what. And I found myself believing my words.
Manaphy put a small hand on my knee. "I understand. But, before you go, you'll need help."
I curiously looked down. "What sort of help?"
"There is an ancient beast, living in the bottom of the ocean, inside a deep abyss. It's ferocious and one of the most terrifying beasts from the beginning. You need to get to it and get the Sea Crown, allowing you to control the element of water." She looked at me, warily.
"You need this power. There is absolutely no way you're going to succeed in your quest without it."
Manaphy took my Pokeballs from my belt. As I protested, she hushed me. "Your land Pokémon are going to suffocate down here. I'll give them to my friend to keep for the time being."
"So what am I going to work with?" I frowned. I hadn't been without Pokémon for so long that I forgot what it was like.
Manaphy beckoned forward, and a pair of Qwilfish swam forward, bringing a long gleaming lance decorated with an ornamental seashell handle. "This is the sword of the Deep. It has the power to summon the guardians of the sea to assist you on your journey." She pointed to the small seashells attached to the handle.
The first one, a small clamshell decorated with fringes and shining gleams. "This is able to summon help from the ancient wise Slowking. It will enhance your abilities with psychic assistance and offer you wisdom."
"This second one," she pointed to a large conch horn, "draws on the powers of the powerful Gyarados King and his Magikarp army."
Finally, the small pearl on the bottom of the sword moved. It moved? It opened it's eyes, and I looked at it.
"That is a baby Clamperl. To summon the final one, it requires the sacrifice of an innocent. You will kill the Clamperl to awaken the powerful Milotic. It has acquired true beauty, stained with the blood of innocence." I looked at the baby Clamperl. I didn't know if I could kill it.
Manaphy looked at me. "You have to. Each of these guardians can only be summoned once. All three will be vital to survive on this journey."
I nodded. "I guess I'll be off now." I looked at her, and I immediately thought of my family. Wait..
"Manaphy, you said you can create an empathetic link to any living human right?" She nodded.
"Can you… can you look for someone named Silver Hamazion?" I flinched at myself hearing that name again.
She stayed so still for a minute I thought she hadn't processed my request, but then she opened her eyes.
"I've found him. I can show you what he's doing right now, if you would like."
I nodded. "Yes, this is very important."
She touched her small hand to mine, and suddenly my world went black.
I opened my eyes again, and it was like being underwater. I looked in front of me at a crowd of waving people. I felt my mouth open. "Do we?"
The people all cheered. "Yes!" I looked around the scene, and I felt a strange taste in my mouth. This was what it came to, didn't it?
It was here. My brother was leading the new organization that had popped up, the one who had most likely killed Kellyn. I- no he, was the reincarnation of X.
I exited the thought stream of my brother. I now took on my pursuit with a new, dedicated touch. "Manaphy, I'm leaving now. Goodbye."
As I swam off into the distance, I looked back into the fading bright castle, with its lights, and a lone blue figure in front of it, waving with tears.
A/N: Sorry for the delay on this chapter, I had: a) both a case of writers block, and b) was really busy. Sorry! As always, please review
