AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow, over 5k views and dozens of followers? Thank you all for your support! I know I update a little slow, and that I rarely respond to reviews or comments—but I appreciate everyone who reads this fic! This is for you guys! I'll keep 'em coming for you!
Two clusters of boats approached each other in the slate-watered bay. One group, small but outfitted with the latest gadgetry, wore the relatively subdued colors of the New Pokemon League; the other, a large, impressive flotilla, was clad in flashy blues and greens. This second group flew a flag depicting an ocean wave overlaid with a bony, stylized letter A—once the symbol of the criminal syndicate Team Aqua, now appropriated by Team Aqua's successor: the marine Guild Azure.
They were meeting in the bay that stretched south of the Indigo Plateau, near Tohjo Falls. Though the area was on New Pokemon League territory, it was also over the open ocean where Azure felt the most comfortable.
Abraham knew that finding a third party to host the talks would have been a fool's errand. Most of the major powers were already allied with him or Azure, destroying any notion of impartiality, and the minor powers were too cowardly to risk the notorious rivalry between the New Pokemon League and the world's most powerful Guild.
Not that Abraham would have changed the location if he'd been given the opportunity. Hosting the meeting in a third-party location would not appeal to the citizens of the New Pokemon League; they would see it as an unwillingness to bring Azure to Abraham's own turf, and call it weakness. They would be wrong, of course, but Abraham still didn't risk souring public opinion when he was only three years into his tenure as Champion.
Abraham thought back to the throngs of people cheering him as he departed. Signs reading DOWN WITH AZURE and THE ASSAILMENT IS NOT OVER UNTIL TEAM AQUA DIES had been held by a huge crowd ready to see off their Champion. Azure, once one of the more popular Guilds in the Indigo Plateau, was now hated and spat upon.
And it was all thanks to Missy.
I chose right in setting you this job, Abraham thought with a smile. He stood on the deck of his ship, one hand idling on the rail as he gazed at Azure's fleet.
With your help, I can now treat Azure as they deserve without worrying about the opinions of my people. Well done.
A whispering blur out of the corner of his eye and a small, barely audible rush of sound announced Russo's arrival. The Champion turned and saw his Weavile crouched on the ship's railing, perfectly balanced on the tiny bar of metal.
"What're you so happy about?" Russo drawled, idly picking at his teeth with a fierce claw.
"Azure, of course."
"Ah, that's right. Managed to get the whole town riled up about them, didn't you?"
"I wouldn't say I did it. I merely found the right woman for the job."
"Well, it's a great job nonetheless. There are so many horrible stories floating around after the Assailment…many of the Guilds have less than stellar reputations. People are so caught up in their idolatry of Azure that they forget that it started as one of the syndicates that threatened everyone during the war."
Russo turned and gazed at his trainer.
"Although I get the suspicion that the stories that reminded everyone about Azure's history are not exactly true."
"All I asked Missy to do was stir up ill feeling towards Azure. How she did so, and what stories she chose to tell, I had no hand in."
A heavy thrum beat through the air and interrupted their conversation. The two of them turned to see an impressive Bug-type pokemon descending from the overcast sky, the barest hint of smoke and sparks trailing from its six orange wings. Its moth-like body was rimmed with white fur on the upper portion; the bottom displayed a thin carapace of sky blue.
The Volcarona landed gracefully on the ship's railing, perching near Abraham's left hand.
"M'lord," he said softly, glancing at Abraham. He turned and caught Russo's eye. The two pokemon exchanged mutually respectful nods.
"Kyte," Abraham said. "We've missed you around here."
"And I you, m'lord. I carried your new instructions to Nail, as you asked."
Nail was one of Abraham's pokemon, one of two that—unlike Russo—were often far away from the Plateau doing missions on behalf of the New Pokemon League. Kyte and Russo usually hung around Abraham himself for protection (and in case some trainer wanted to challenge the Champion). Abraham's fifth pokemon, Wheat, rarely left the poke ball at Abraham's side. He was a competent battler, and very loyal, but excelled at little else.
And the sixth pokemon…
Icy feathers and a pealing cry flashed through Abraham's memory. Not yet, he thought. We're not ready for you yet.
"…doing over there, anyway?" Russo was saying to Kyte.
"Something to do with Forest Ocean, I believe," the Volcarona replied.
Russo's laugh was short and humorless. "Hah! And we were just talking about the immorality of the Guilds. Tell you what, Abraham, forget whatever bad feelings have spread about Azure—if even half the rumors about Forest Ocean are true, public opinion will damn them faster than a Scizor flies."
Abraham said nothing. There was truth in Russo's words.
"Tell me, boss, I've heard Forest Ocean does some pretty monstrous stuff. I've heard they kill people in their experiments. I've heard they artificially impregnate humans with pokemon eggs. Is it true?"
"There is a rumor that they use human women to surrogate them, yes."
Russo let out a low, long whistle. "A 'rumor,' huh? It's true, isn't it. As if their work with shadow pokemon wasn't bad enough."
Kyte made a choking sound, his eyes narrowing in indignation. He quivered, looking for a moment like a frightened child.
"Ah." Russo winced. "Sorry, Kyte, I spoke thoughtlessly. I should have remembered your history…"
The Volcarona took several deep breaths and managed to calm down.
"I was…I was just remembering…" He shook his head, and fixed Abraham with an unreadable expression. "Humans…can do terrible things, can't you, m'lord? Sometimes I wonder if a world dominated by you humans is worth living in."
"Humans can be quite wicked, it is true," Abraham murmured. "But I find psychic powers and the ability to spew fire far more frightening."
"I will not have this argument with you once more, m'lord," Kyte sighed. "We simply repeat the same tired threads of thought over and over and over again. Enough!"
A long silence followed. The Champion and his two pokemon gazed at Azure's flotilla, each lost in their own thoughts.
"About Forest Ocean," Russo said, "I know they're very secretive and few of the common people know about them, and I know that you've done your hardest to keep your deal with them under wraps…but aren't you worried about affiliating with a Guild like them? If word gets out about what sort of group Forest Ocean is, and that you have a contract with them, you'll be martyred. You'll be lucky if your position is all you lose."
Abraham took a few moments to compose his reply.
"Forest Ocean's depravities are…repugnant. I won't deny that. But a sad fact is that those who practice science without morals advance farther than those who do. Ethics limit one's options. Forest Ocean is the only group with the resources and knowledge to complete the research I need. They have these resources and knowledge precisely because they have no ethics. Relying on them is a perfect example of what we call a necessary evil."
The ships across the bay began to move.
"Well, enough about a Guild so far away. Time to worry about the Guild at our doorstep."
The three of them headed belowdecks. Russo walked before Abraham; Kyte trailed behind.
The crew saluted as the young Champion passed them. He headed to the ship's conference room, a spacious area situated directly above the hold. As he entered, he saw that the four Elites who had accompanied him on this venture—one each from Hoenn, Unova, Sinnoh, and the Kanto/Johto province—had already taken their seats.
The Elites watched him as he took his place, all four faces reserved. Of the sixteen Elites, some still didn't realize that the young man they thought of as a puppet was far more independent than they'd thought. Others knew that Abraham wasn't their lackey, and it angered them. Still others were surprised by Abraham's initiative, but also pleased by it.
Abraham had initially considered bringing four Elites who were supportive of him, but he'd decided to instead bring the most firmly anti-Guild Elite from each region. Unfortunately, that meant that Wallace—a former Gym Leader who had once been Hoenn's Champion, back when each region had had its own—was the only Elite present who both recognized Abraham's independence and supported it.
Wallace kept his face detached, but as Abraham caught his eye he allowed a small, reassuring smile to show for a fraction of a second. Abraham felt a small bloom of relief; Wallace was a solid anchor of support among his less-steadfast compatriots.
Volkner sat in the chair closest to Abraham's own. A former Sinnoh Gym Leader famous for both his aloofness and his skill in battle, Abraham didn't think Volkner particularly cared about him one way or another. Caitlin, a woman of such devastating psychic power that she was thought to exceed some pokemon, sat across from him; she represented Unova. While she never criticized him to his face, Abraham had heard that she had expressed displeasure in private. Will, a psychic from the Indigo Plateau itself, sat further down, across from Wallace. He was one of Abraham's fiercer domestic critics, but the two of them could agree over a mutual loathing of the Guilds.
Abraham took his seat at the head of the table, flanked by both of his pokemon. He waited for Azure's arrival, and soon enough a low rumble quaked as Azure's flagship docked. A few minutes passed, and the doors to the conference room opened again.
Morris, the head of Azure, was a tall, physically imposing man in his early thirties. He was brash and boisterous, and did not so much walk as swagger everywhere he went. He took the seat at the far end of the table and shot an almost comically overstated glare in Abraham's direction.
Abraham paid no attention to Morris' dramatics, instead focusing on the woman who followed right after him. After Team Aqua's failure to control a legendary pokemon, it was disbanded by its founder, Archie. But this woman, his second-in-command, took the reins and preserved the Team, leading it through the Assailment. She was the one who made the fated decision to unite Team Aqua with a marine shipping Guild, turning the tide of the Assailment and transforming Azure into a political juggernaut.
Shelly was nominally subordinate to Morris, but it was an open secret that she was the true power behind Azure. Shelly took a seat on the side. Her hair, long and bushy as ever, was beginning to fade from red to grey. The keen look in her eyes and her tiny smile reminded Abraham of a cat pokemon: Glameow, perhaps, or Liepard.
As the last of Morris' retainers took their seats, filling out the table, the head of Azure pointed indignantly towards Russo and Kyte.
"There was no warning that we'd be in the presence of your trained killers, Abraham!" he sneered. "Is this a threat?"
To his left, Shelly looked upward in open exasperation. Wallace and Will both stifled small chuckles.
"Please feel free to release any pokemon you wish," Abraham said. "Two for two."
Morris unclasped two balls from inside his vest; Abraham noticed that all six balls were silver-plated premier balls.
"Come then!" he shouted. "Salamence! And Starmie!"
The two pokemon reared impressively on Azure's side of the room. Volkner gave a small smile that might have almost been of pity, and Shelly looked as though she wanted to bury her head in her hands.
Morris' pokemon were undoubtedly fearsome, but they were almost certainly Guild-trained, and not truly his own; in addition, he didn't seem to realize that powerful pokemon might intimidate subordinates or the heads of minor Guilds, but were the order of the day for the Champion of the League.
And the two pokemon he'd picked did not stack up well against Abraham's own. The Psychic-type Starmie faced Kyte and Russo with obvious unease, and Russo shot a cocky grin at the Salamence.
"Hello, Mr. Dragon," the Weavile said mockingly. "I hope you don't mind this frosty reception."
Abraham nearly glowed inside. Morris' bullheadedness and his poor choice of pokemon had embarrassed Azure, something that was obvious to everyone except Morris himself. His wild personality and bombastic delivery also looked poor compared to Abraham's evenness and the Elites' careful reserve.
And on that note…
"Welcome. Shall we begin?"
The members of Azure filed out of the boardroom. Some wore displeasure on their sleeve; others carefully masked it.
As Morris and his two pokemon sulked their way back to their ship—the poor Salamence was having a very cramped time in the ship's narrow halls—Shelly stayed behind. When she was the only member of Azure in the room, she calmly stood up and walked to meet Abraham. He met her halfway.
"I always enjoy our little talks," she said, extending a hand. Abraham took it. "A pleasure. Yes, always a pleasure." Her face was even, but her eyes flashed like fire.
"Likewise," Abraham replied politely. He'd already got what he wanted; there was no need to gloat. "The New Pokemon League has a healthy respect for Azure and the impact it has made."
"The New Pokemon League. But not necessarily it's Champion?"
"I wouldn't say that."
"But you wouldn't deny it."
Shelly ended the handshake. "I suppose we'll be hearing from you soon," she continued.
"We'll be in touch."
She nodded and left the room gracefully.
When she was safely out of earshot, Wallace broke into a brief but vigorous clap. "Well done, well done! I saw Shelly and her old master unleash Kyogre in my own city, you know. She's not the type who deserves to traipse around the world unimpeded."
He bowed and took his leave. Will hesitated, gave Abraham a curt nod, and followed.
Volkner stretched and leaned back in his chair. For one of Sinnoh's Elite Four, his posture was terrible. "This will make the people of Sunyshore happy," he said. "Very happy. Good job, Abraham."
Caitlin stood. She had a soft, demure voice, but one that commanded attention whenever she spoke. "Yes. Well done…Champion." She left, her long hair trailing after her, and Volkner left not long after.
Abraham, Kyte, and Russo stood alone. "Do you think you've won over Volkner and Caitlin?" said Russo. "They're both anti-Guild, so standing strong against Azure might have helped boost you in their eyes."
"Compliments don't mean they've decided to support me," Abraham replied. "But I can always hope."
"Small victories are still victories, m'lord," said Kyte.
"Hmm. I suppose they are. Come along, then." The three of them headed abovedecks, where a motorboat waited to take Abraham to the small ship containing his cabin. He and Russo rode it over; Kyte followed in the sky.
Abraham's cabin was small, but snugly furnished. He collapsed on a worn, comfortable chair. He closed his eyes—just for a moment—but when a rapping knock opened them again the light outside had dimmed considerably.
He sat up, alert; he was always alert when he woke. "Who is it?"
"Missy."
Russo caught his trainer's eye and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Abraham unclasped Kyte's poke ball from his waist.
"We'll talk this evening," he told the Volcarona. Before he returned to his poke ball, Kyte shared a look of understanding with his trainer.
"Come in," said Abraham. It dawned on him that he probably looked unkempt, but it didn't bother him much.
Missy stepped inside. Her head did a quick scan of the room, noting Russo lounging in the corner, before she sat on a small wooden bench that was affixed to the wall.
"Thanks for bringing Dan and I," she said.
Abraham waved his hand in a 'think-nothing-of-it' manner. "Not a problem," he said. "You were a big help; I couldn't have stood against Azure the way I did without your assistance."
"The meeting was a success, then?"
"It was. When we initially proposed our new rates for the cost of shipping through our waters, Azure thought we were joking. 'What will the people back in the Indigo Plateau think when you charge us such exorbitant prices?' Shelly asked."
"And what did you say back?"
"I didn't say anything. But I may have smiled."
Missy chuckled. "And how did they react to that?"
"I don't think Morris understood what it meant. But Shelly did, and many of the other members as well. You should have seen how guarded they became."
"So is your new rate a big blow to Azure?"
"Oh, yes. They control most of the Sevii Islands, but we control Cinnabar and the surrounding seas—if they want to trade with Kanto or Johto, they need to ship through our waters. Now that our citizens want Azure taken down, we can charge much more fiercely."
"Azure is a shipping Guild," Missy said slowly. "You told me that most of the out-of-region trade to Kanto and Johto comes through them. If you leverage this correctly…you might be able to effectively control all trade to Kanto and Johto."
"Bingo. Kanto is controlled mainly by us and two powerful Guilds: Shining Cities and Gentle Darkness. Shining Cities is our biggest ally; Gentle Darkness is relatively neutral. Johto is more fragmented and more hostile."
"You'll charge Azure less if it ships to Kanto," Missy reasoned. "That helps your ally and it also lets you court Gentle Darkness; preferential treatment might shift them from neutrality to sympathy."
"Exactly. Kanto prospers; we solidify alliances; and we'll slowly tighten Azure's access to Johto. Without sea trade, Johto will have to rely on Kanto to supply most of its needs."
"Effectively bringing it under the control of you and your allies." Missy smiled. "If only the members of the City Council back home were as crafty. Well done! Now that your meeting is over, and a solid success…I suppose you'll be lending us money and resources to help look for Ivan?"
"Of course."
"And you'll let Rico come with us, right?"
Abraham hesitated. "Ahhhhh…I've meant to discuss that."
Missy's face darkened, which Abraham found surprisingly frightening. Perhaps it was her scarred ear, or the fact that her fangs were more noticeable when she was angry.
"You promised, Abraham."
"I did," he said slowly. "But you're a politician as well as I am, so please, hear me out."
Missy sat back, face still stormy.
"I promised that Rico could accompany you. I will not deny that," he began. "But that promise was made after you made a particularly emotional appeal…one that, frankly, worked. It's hard to think clearly when emotions are guiding you. Not only was I not thinking clearly, but new information is constantly presenting itself to me…even as I score a victory against Azure, new threats are made known.
"Rico is the head of our security in the Kanto/Johto province. He fills an important position. Even at the best of times, letting him go on an adventure with old friends would place us in a delicate position; now, with storm clouds on the horizon? I cannot let it happen. I am sorry."
"You promised us," Missy growled. "Rico could be such an asset…you care so much about public opinion, Abraham. What if your people knew you didn't keep your promises?"
He'd expected her to play that card. "They would be disappointed," he said. "But I would be forced to explain things honestly. I would tell them that these were my choices: remove a competent figure from an important position, or break my word to one woman. What am I to do? I would explain myself and trust that they realize I chose the lesser of two evils."
"So you really don't care? I could walk out there right now and shout to all the world—"
"Enough," Abraham said forcefully. Missy blinked, taken aback.
"You want to stir up the people? You want them to ask questions of me?" he pressed. "Be careful, Missy, or they might start asking questions about you!"
A tense silence followed.
"What questions?" she said.
"This, for start: What are you?"
Russo looked back and forth between the locked gazes of Abraham and Missy, each barely five feet from the other. Charisma filled the room like a potent gas.
"What do you mean? I'm an ordinary woman—" she began.
"Lies!" Abraham interrupted. "I see the battle scar on your ear. Made by a pokemon, most likely. What human contends with pokemon? I see your nail-like claws, and the fangs in your mouth. I see you whip your head around, scanning with senses too sharp to be natural. I see you read scents too subtle for humans to pick up.
"And I know," he said. "I know you speak to pokemon. So tell me, Missy.
"What are you?"
When Ivan woke to the sound of leaves, he wanted to scream. But as his chest heaved and his vision cleared, the young Vulpix saw bright daylight outside the dank passage where he and the others had hidden. The sun bathed trees which swayed gently in the forest breeze.
The Deplorable One. He was not here.
Ivan breathed a sigh of relief that quickly transformed into a shudder. He was alive.
Memories of the prior night filled his head, and he saw the rippling cloak and heard Emily's insults spat in his ears.
He shivered. Enough darkness. He needed the light.
Ivan padded through the muck beneath Gentle Darkness' cabin and emerged into the sun once more.
He blinked several times before his vision adjusted to the brightness. He shook his head, trying to clear any remaining flashes from his eyesight.
The open meadow surrounding the cabin looked inviting when it wasn't shrouded by nighttime. The long grass that populated the meadow was a pleasant light green, and it stood high enough that it almost drowned Ivan in his pokemon form.
Ivan pounced into a tuft of grass and popped his head out, enjoying the sensation of its coolness brushing against his fur. He tumbled out of it and onto his back, laughing. He was alive…they were all alive!
He opened his eyes and released a long breath, the tension easing out of him. The sky above was a healthy blue, a few wisps of cloud trailing across it. A light breeze, the same that stirred the leaves, played about his fur and whispered as it wove through the grass.
"Ivan? Ivan!"
The Vulpix snapped his head around. Dulcet, the one calling him, was sitting on a stump near the glade's edge. She motioned him over with one hand; the other rested comfortingly on Emily's lap. Emily sat on the stump; she too looked at the sky.
Ivan darted over to his compatriots. "Dulcet, Emily! You're both okay!"
The Audino smiled. "Yes, thank you. Although…Emily still seems a little off."
She frowned. "Her body doesn't seem to be the worse for wear, but her brain might still be a little scrambled from that awful music we heard last night…"
Ivan glanced at Emily with uncertainty. "Emily…? Are you all right?"
Emily turned to him as though noticing him for the first time. She wore an airy smile that Ivan thought looked out of place on someone as clever as she was.
Ivan stared at her and there was a few seconds' silence before Dulcet poked him in the side. "Um…she can't understand you when you're like that," she whispered.
"Oh, right."
Ivan walked over to a patch of ground with no foliage, to avoid burning anything, and transformed. The fiery sphere enveloped him for a few moments and when it dropped, he was human once more.
"Emily?"
"Ah, Ivan, hi there," she said vacantly. Ivan approached her with some discomfort.
"Are you—feeling okay?"
"Hmm? Oh, of course."
"I was just wondering, because last night you didn't seem okay."
"Oh…?"
Emily's brows furrowed, as if she was in deep concentration. "I don't know what you mean!"
"You don't remember? After…it appeared? You and I both went a little crazy, and…and you said some horrible things to me."
Her words echoed in his memory, threatening to enshroud the happy new day: Freak. Monster.
"Oh, well, I'm sure you're fine, right?"
No…no, I don't think so.
"I…guess."
Emily smiled. "Great! Now, Ivan, you won't believe this dream I had last night. It was a wonderful dream."
She grabbed him and clutched him close, whispering in his ear. Her eyes shifted mischievously as she spoke. "We can't tell any of the pokemon…I just know it to be so! You know everything that's been going wrong lately?"
Ivan tried to pull away, but she had a surprisingly strong grip. "Um…y-yeah, I guess," he said. "Emily, could you…could you let me go, please?"
"Everything that's been going wrong," she breathed, ignoring him. "If I take you to Ipde…it'll be fixed. It'll all be fixed!"
"Emily, I don't think we should go to Ipde."
She stared at him in shock, her grip loosening slightly. Ivan grabbed the opportunity and broke free.
"But—!"
"You're…you're still sick from last night, Emily, it hasn't worn off yet. It's not a good idea for you to—"
"Not just me!" she shouted. "I can't go alone! I have to bring you! You, Ivan! I just have to!"
Dulcet grabbed Emily, trying to calm her. "It's okay…" she soothed. "It'll be okay…"
Ivan felt a calming presence from Dulcet and realized the Audino was using what little healing power she had on her trainer.
Emily eventually settled down. "Ivan, it's important," she whispered. "It has to be you. I heard it in my dream. It spoke to me."
"Not right now Emily," Ivan said. He didn't dare reject her outright for fear of setting her off again. "Maybe—let's talk about it later, okay?"
Emily studied him for a few moments and then acquiesced with a nod. "Okay, then. Later."
Ivan turned to Dulcet. "Where are the other pokemon? Are they okay?"
Dulcet pointed into the trees. "Our supplies were damaged when the cabin was attacked. They're off foraging."
"Thanks," Ivan said. He walked into the woods.
The forest was even more beautiful in the breezy, sunny day than the meadow had been. Ivan stepped lightly along the path, and within a few minutes his ears picked up the distant sounds of his colleagues.
"Artemis! Nemo! Ripple!"
He darted off the path, weaving around fallen trees and skirting past thorny thickets. He emerged into a small clearing with several wildberry bushes. Nemo and Artemis were busy plucking the berries and putting them into a small travel sack.
Artemis looked up and beamed when she noticed Ivan. She abandoned her bush and swept him into a fierce hug. "Ivan! Isn't it a wonderful day? Are you all right? I know it's only been a few hours but I'm so happy to see you!"
Ivan smiled back. Her enthusiasm was infectious. "Me too, Artemis. I just talked to Emily. She…doesn't seem okay."
Nemo looked up from his bush. Berries balanced delicately on each of his fins. "Ah, you noticed that too," he said. "I'm worried, but I hope that she'll get better in a day or two, if we don't run into that thing again."
A chill settled on Ivan. Of course they weren't completely out of danger. They'd escaped the Deplorable One, not defeated it. How could he have been so stupid to have thought they were in the clear?
"Don't say that, Nemo," Artemis pouted. "We survived, isn't that enough? It's a lovely day!"
As she set him down, Ivan noticed her trying to hide a wince. "Oh! Your arms, Artemis! They're still hurt from when I…"
Artemis waved his concerns aside. "Don't worry, Ivan. Really, don't! I'm a pokemon, I've faced much worse. Dulcet will heal them when she gets her strength back up. And I don't blame you. You weren't yourself. If anything, I blame the Trumpeter."
Ivan noticed a slight shiver escape her as she said the name.
"Still," he said, "I was mean, and…I'm sorry."
Before they could say any more a crashing met their ears, followed by a voice.
"…elp! Nemo? Ivan? Anyone!"
Ivan raced back to the trail. Behind him Artemis scooped up Nemo and followed, the berries forgotten. They burst onto the path where Dulcet waited, distraught—and alone.
"Where's Emily?" Nemo asked.
"She—she—" Dulcet gulped, and continued shakily.
"She said she wanted to get something from the cabin, so I let her wander off. She walked right past the cabin and that's when I got worried. I hopped off the stump to go after her but then she ran full sprint along the road to Ipde. She yelled back that she would make Ivan come, that he would follow her and that when he came to Ipde everything would be better. I—I tried to follow, but…"
She gestured down at her stumpy legs. "I could only totter along. We Audino aren't built for speed. She…she soon outpaced me…oh, dear…"
Artemis and Nemo exchanged a short glance.
"Right," Artemis said. "I'll fetch Ripple. And then we'll go get her back."
"We're going after her?" asked Ivan. "How can I help?"
"You'll stay here with Dulcet and I," Nemo said. "We can't risk—"
A brief flare announced Ivan's return to his Vulpix form.
He looked Nemo square in the eye. "Just try and stop me," he said.
Silence hung for a few seconds before Nemo nodded. "Very well, then. With the possibility of the Trumpeter around it's best not to split anyway. We'll go together."
The question hung in the air. "What are you?"
Missy locked eyes with Abraham for a half-minute before the young Champion tsked and leaned back.
"Forgive me…after we have done so much to help each other, it wouldn't do to make enemies of each other now," he said. "But I am not an imbecile. Everything I've said…it's valid. It's quite obvious that you're not a normal human. What are you? I would feel more comfortable trusting you if I knew."
Missy leered back at him. "I'm not in a trusting mood after you just broke your word, Abraham. What happened is my business."
She assumed the matter settled, but Abraham pressed. "You're not from Forest Ocean, are you?"
Consumed by emotion as she was, Missy couldn't mask the bewilderment that crept onto her face. "Forest Ocean?"
Abraham blinked. "That's a no, then," he said. "I'm not surprised you haven't heard of them. They're an elusive Guild; very few of the common people have heard of them, and then only as rumors."
He paused, waiting for Missy to prod him further. She was torn: she was still furious at Abraham for backing from his word, but this was a prime opportunity to learn more about the pokemon world. If she was to reunite with her son, she needed all the information she could get.
Knowledge won out.
"This Guild has something to do with nonhumans?" Missy asked.
"In a fashion. Have you heard of Cipher?"
"A little bit," she said. Dan had briefed her on everything he could recall about the pokemon world. He had said very little on Cipher, but enough that she wouldn't appear ignorant.
"They were criminals from the…Orre region, wasn't it? They were dangerously competent and had sinister pokemon."
"Of a sort," Abraham said. "Cipher was one of the syndicates that participated in the Assailment, but the truth is more complex. Years ago, they suffered two major defeats within five years. The second defeat fragmented Cipher. The son of one of their Grand Masters united a sizeable number of members and joined the Assailment. Their shadow pokemon were feared weapons indeed…but in the end, even they were defeated.
"However, not all of Cipher rallied behind that man. A number of members—mostly former scientists—fled to Hoenn and formed a Guild. Forest Ocean. Unlike the 'official' Cipher, they survived the Assailment. They've been continuing the shadow pokemon project and other unethical experiments ever since."
"And why would you think I was associated with them?" Missy asked.
"Their experiments are not only limited to producing shadow pokemon. Lately, it's been rumored that they've been looking into making pokemon with human traits, or humans with pokemon traits…perhaps they want to create a true hybrid. You obviously have nonhuman abilities, and the way you arrived here is suspect. If any organization could teleport a large group cross-continent, I'd bank on Forest Ocean."
"I…see," Missy said. "And why exactly do you think Forest Ocean would send someone to keep tabs on you?"
Abraham said nothing.
Well, I guess that's to be expected after I didn't disclose what he wanted, Missy thought ruefully.
"I am not affiliated with Forest Ocean, or with any other Guild. My husband and I support your efforts against them. And as for my abilities…
"There are people in this world with strange talents. I know that a noteworthy number of individuals possess psychic powers. And there are people, however rare, that can understand pokemon speech. These people have their abilities since birth, usually.
"I am not like them. I was born a normal human. An…accident happened in my youth. The body you see before you is the result."
Silence hung between them for a moment.
"I am sorry, then. To be a normal human only for fate to…"
"It drove me to despair," Missy said. "At first. But now I can't imagine my life any other way."
She stood and bowed courteously. "I think it's time for me to leave. I thank you for what assistance you will give, but I'm not giving up on Rico."
"Of course you're not."
As she turned to leave, Abraham shot one last question after her.
"This incident happened in your youth, you say? And you mentioned being part of the Saffron Affair nineteen years ago. Might those events be…related?"
Missy left without saying anything. As she closed the door, she picked up the barest mutter from Abraham:
"Interesting…"
Scholar was the title given to the second-in-command of Gentle Darkness, but in truth he was power in all but name. He was a tall man with a plain face and blonde hair. His slightly portly shape was hidden by the ceremonial robes of his station: deep silky purple and embroidered with entrancing, mystical designs in gold thread.
The Scholar stalked up the stairs of Pokemon Tower—his tower. This tower and its secrets and its treasures were his. They had been his ever since the Assailment.
Such a chaotic time…it upset the board and dethroned many, but in doing so it offered opportunities to the most unexpected of individuals, and in the most unexpected of ways. The Scholar smiled, a flat thing that did not reach his oddly glossy eyes.
I've guided this organization since the beginning… he thought. And now look at me. I've climbed so high…
He passed many pokemon on the stairs. Independent pokemon; Guild pokemon, who were not trained and never would be. The bond between trainer and partner was a special and sacred thing—the Scholar knew this, on a deeply personal level. His heart twinged as he remembered his fallen companion. Still, Gentle Darkness was the only Guild that truly allowed pokemon freedom and equal stature if they wished it.
Glorious.
The Scholar—why would he ever want another name? The title was all he needed—hummed as he ascended the steps. His office was very high up, but he never used the elevators in the Tower. He had been against installing them from the very beginning.
After a solid climb of nearly five minutes, the Scholar entered his office. His body was slightly out of breath and sweat sheened his skin, but he didn't care for looks.
His secretary, a twiggy young woman with wild red hair and burning intelligent eyes, glanced at him as he walked in.
"Ah, sir," she said, "you've got a call, very important, it's—"
"I've been informed, thank you," he cut in smoothly. He strode past her and into his private room, the one that overlooked Lavender Town. Once a gloomy town of no note, now it was a growing city with commerce—all thanks to Gentle Darkness.
All thanks to me, it should be said, he thought.
He sat down at his desk, picked up his receiver, and jabbed a finger at the red "CALL WAITING" button.
"This is the Scholar," he said.
"And this is Shelly," replied the sultry voice on the other end.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked. Shelly and Azure were not as almighty as they believed, but they were due a certain measure of respect.
"You may have heard that we treated with the New Pokemon League earlier today," Shelly said.
"And I must assume everything went as it usually did?"
"Hardly," she spat. "Abraham's new prices for shipping through his waters are going to severely dent our trade with Kanto and Johto."
"Isn't it unwise for him to be so draconian towards the heroes of the Assailment?"
"The heroes may have overstayed their welcome. We did some research and we are surprisingly unpopular amongst the citizenry of the New Pokemon League."
The Scholar mulled things over for a moment.
"Then what is this call about?" he inquired.
"Abraham will likely manipulate our shipping through prices. Kanto will prosper and Johto will be forced to rely on the League. As your Guild is based in Kanto, he will make you bountiful to court an alliance."
She paused before continuing. "I propose an alliance with us instead."
"Isn't that a decision for the heads of Gentle Darkness and Azure?" mused the Scholar. "Why are the seconds making it?"
"You know too well the difference between position and power," Shelly said.
The Scholar chuckled. "Too true. But why ally with you over Abraham?"
"Don't pretend to love the League. Your Guild is near neutral, but I've heard rumblings that the further up the ladder one goes in Gentle Darkness, the more hate towards the League there is.
"And besides," she intoned, "Abraham is just a schemer. He and the League want to bring everything the way it was before the Assailment. Back to the status quo. Do you want a world ruled by the League, where Guilds like ours are footnotes? He'll throw a cornucopia at you to get you on his side, because he knows he'll win out in the end.
"So let him spend his wealth on you. Draw him out. Dance the dance of ambiguity while he enriches your Guild. And in secret, we'll combine our wealth and influence to stop his advance. You know that Azure controls the Sevii Islands, and many other island chains. There are ruins and ancient secrets we've found in the far reaches of the earth. Perhaps we've even found hints of…legendary pokemon."
"Are you honestly saying that you'll give us a legendary pokemon?"
"I'm saying that we could share."
The Scholar thought it over. Ruins and ancient knowledge mattered little to him, but were greatly desired by the Guild's rank and file. And if he gave them happiness, they would give him loyalty.
And just think of it! The power of a legendary pokemon! If Shelly speaks true…
"You make an enticing bargain, Shelly," the Scholar said. "We can iron out the details later, but for now, consider this a tentative…yes."
"Mm-hmm-hmm," laughed her voice. There was a hint of triumph to the sound. "We'll keep in touch, Scholar."
"Before you go, I'm curious—how did you fall so far and so fast in the eyes of the New Pokemon League?"
Shelly sighed angrily. "From what we know, Abraham put someone on propaganda. Someone new. A woman, with silvery hair and a scarred ear…"
The Scholar's blood turned to ice. It can't be.
"Tell me, Shelly," he said, struggling to control his anger, "do you know this woman's name?"
"Missy, I believe." It took all of the Scholar's composure to keep from screaming.
"But she's a nonentity," Shelly continued. "Abraham put her up to this. He's the real opponent."
"Y-yes…thank you. Anyway, we'll be in touch."
"Naturally." A click registered as Shelly hung up.
The Scholar held his receiver for a few seconds before slamming it back onto its place on his desk. The sound was astonishing.
A few seconds later his secretary nervously poked her head in. "Sir, is everything—"
"GET OUT!"
She wisely shut the door.
The Scholar buried his head in his hands, shaking with rage.
"Missy…" he muttered.
That filthy, vicious, abominable, cursed Eevee!
She was here. In this world.
The Scholar walked over to a statue of an ancient pokemon. The statue's pedestal was actually a secret compartment only known to him. He accessed it and pulled out a device—a golden tube overlaid with symbols.
Thanks to the device, Missy would never see her son again. They would be divided, cast worlds apart; she would finally know the pain that she herself had wrought.
He didn't know what happened to the boy, and he didn't care. The point was to separate him from his mother irrevocably. And he'd thought his job done.
But…
The Scholar trembled. How did she know where her son had gone? How did she know where to look?
She would find him, if left to her own devices. And vengeance would be made hollow.
Oh, she always gets her happy ending. Her and her trainer-husband and her pokemon friends, all so very happy. She probably brought them with her—
He paused.
Her friends and family.
This isn't a setback…it's a boon. I'll make you feel pain yet, Melissa Fawcett.
Oh yes.