Chapter 9: Mysterious Thief, Mysterious Hero, Mysterious Human
A couple of days after Trey got out of the hospital, Charlie had another announcement at the daily meeting. "And we have a very serious problem on hand. Another Time Gear has gone missing, this time from Fogbound Lake."
"What?" Flora asked. "But we didn't find anything there."
"Apparently, the lake Guardian did a really fine job of keeping us from finding it," Bartleby lied.
"But he didn't do as fine a job against the criminal. However, he has managed to give us an identity to the thief while the hospital was taking care of him. The picture has been posted in every Guild of the surrounding regions. We don't have a name, but he is a Grovyle."
Although Trey had agreed against doing outlaw jobs for a little while, Team Marmalade checked the post for the picture of the Time Gear thief. The thief would be easily identified over any other Grovyle; he had a long gash of a scar running down between his eyes, of a browner green than the rest of his skin. And even then, his green looked pale. A Grovyle was supposed to be a darker shade of green than a Treecko, but not this one.
"That scar and that look makes him look scary," Matti said, as the boys were curious too.
"Yeah," Azeri added. "But he's not like Trey."
Trey looked worried. "Are you sure about that?" he asked quietly. "He might be my father."
"You can't know that for sure," Stacy said, gripping his arm.
"Well how many others like me have you seen around? Nobody, I know. Not until this guy."
"Oh, Stacy!" Cece, the Chansey that worked at the Daycare, hopped off the ladder and came over. She smiled at Trey. "Hi there, Trey. Stacy, I was wondering if your team could help me out."
"Oh sure, what is it? Don't you need to be doing the Rite of Passage today?"
She nodded. "Right, but there's a problem. The area we use for the rite has been developing into a Mystery Dungeon. I have five children ready for it, including Matti here. I've decided to go on ahead to the old spot, but if this year's trip is rough, I'll move it next year. But because of the children, I'd like to have an explorer team along, just in case."
"Okay, that sounds like a good idea. What do you three say?"
They agreed, so they went to escort Cece and the five children to the traditional site of the Rite of Passage. It was an acknowledgment that the young Pokemon were smart and mature enough to be considered adults. They had to travel to a solitary mountain that stood north of the river to reach the site, one of many spread throughout the world. And it was beginning to show signs of a dungeon; wild magic was making itself noticed while the sides of the paths were starting to becoming taller and rougher. Every now and then, someone found a Berry or Rock that showed evidence of gremlins moving in.
At the end of it and at the base of the mountain, they came upon an ancient monument. There, a giant stone block stood unsupported in the middle of a flat opening. On the surface of the slab, there was an attached sculpture of a circular group of rays, like one of the children might draw the sun.
"The mountain ahead of us is called Sky Peak," Cece said. "It is called that because the peak is always up in the clouds, see? And this monument is called the Sign of Arceus. Arceus is the Creator of the entire world, a Pokemon that none can compare to. Some Pokemon are said to have met him at the top of Sky Peak."
"The Creator of the whole wide world lives here?" a Smoochum asked. "Wow."
"Yes. Now, you will go up to the Sign of Arceus and make a solemn promise to be a good and responsible Pokemon. Then touch the stone. If you mean your promise with all your heart, you will be accepted as an adult Pokemon. And the stone can tell if you're not yet ready or making an empty promise. So when you're ready, go on over."
"I didn't know we were promising this to someone so powerful," Matti told his sister.
"Arceus must be a kind Creator, so there's nothing to fear," Stacy replied.
"All right." The Marill went up first. They couldn't hear what he said, but when he touched the stone, a circle of white energy came over him. He had been accepted.
When he came back over, letting the Smoochum go up, he hugged Stacy. "Now I'm gonna work at the Guild too," he said. "Senior said I can help him write up the jobs and stuff like that."
"That's great," she replied. "With two of us working, nobody can take Azeri away from us."
After the last to the children had gone to make their promises and gain acceptance as adults, Cece smiled at them all. "And so, now you are adults. We will respect you in this, but you must keep the promise you made today. If you do, you will find blessings over your life."
At that, there was a sudden bolt of lightning. The accompanying thunder was momentarily deafening, causing everyone some degree of fright. But as they regained composure, the yellow sundisk fell off the stone slab with a noisy clatter.
"Oh my goodness," Cece said. "This has never happened before."
Sally went up to see if there was a way she could put the sundisk back up. But then she had one of her visions and dropped it.
"Maybe it shouldn't be touched," Matti said.
"No," Stacy said. "Sally, what is it?"
She turned back to them and signed a message. Trey watched, then widened his eyes. "She says that she heard someone say, 'Take the sign back to your hometown and place it somewhere safer. In days to come, this place will be too dangerous for children to visit anymore.'"
"Oh my, so it is turning into a dungeon. Sally, are you able to handle that sign?"
She picked it up again, then nodded. She carried it back to town, then set it against Chansey's Daycare until a more suitable place could be found to hang it.
That evening, there was a celebration in the middle of Treasure Town for the five new adult Pokemon. A band played music for everyone to dance to. Many Pokemon had put their efforts into making a wonderful buffet spread of all sorts of special foods and drinks, all free for anyone who attended. There was lots of happy chatter and cheers raised, not just for the young adults, but also for any other reason and cause for celebration and joy.
All of the apprentices and workers in the Guild attended. They wore their best accessories, as did all the other Pokemon. Sally fiddled with her armor device until she came up with a pretty blue dress with rhinestones that matched her blue eyes. And with the locals, there were some visiting explorer teams that were often away from Treasure Town for months at a time.
There was even a newcomer, albeit a famous one. "They said that he wasn't well-known until a few months ago," Flora told Team Marmalade, as the group had gathered to share some treats with Matti and Azeri. "But, oh my gosh, Drakken the Dusknoir is said to be the most amazing explorer ever! He easily passes through dungeons that most teams wouldn't dare step foot in and he defeats every outlaw that he sets out to catch. And he does it all by himself! He is so wonderful; I want to go over and get his autograph, but I'm so nervous."
"I've heard about him," Matti said. "Mimen was saying that this Dusknoir supposedly cleared all ninety-nine levels of the Zero Island dungeon, and most explorers have difficulty passing even a dozen floors of that place. And he's brought all sorts of outlaws to justice."
"That is amazing," Trey said. "Where is he?"
"You can't miss him," Flora said. "He's one of the few here who's taller than Sally! He is a bit dull-looking and easily blends with shadows. Maybe that's why he's so good at what he does, unlike Sally with her white hair and brightly colored accessories."
Sally made a playful sign reply of, "But I like my armor!"
Later on, Trey was by himself, thinking. At least, he thought he was alone. "So you stalking Stacy now?"
He jumped, but it turned out to be Kip. "Oh, it's you. No, I'm not stalking her. I'm just thinking."
The Skitty gave him a smug look. "Thinking about her. I know how it is."
Trey blushed and covered his snout. "Maybe."
"So, why don't you go up and ask to dance with her?"
"What?"
Kip waved his paws to send him along. "Go on. She's cute and sweet, but not my kind of girl."
"Well..." he looked over, then nodded. "Okay, I'll give it a shot. I never asked a girl for a dance, though."
"Just be yourself, nice and cool," Kip called.
"So he says," Trey mumbled to himself as he walked over to where Stacy was. She had her Yellow Bow on today; while it contrasted with her blue skin and brown shell, it still managed to look nice. He went up to her and said, "Hey Stacy."
She smiled. "Oh hey Trey, there you are. Having fun?"
"Yeah. Hey, um, do you want to dance for a bit with me."
She smiled. "Sure, sounds fun. Come on." She took his paws and they went out to the dance area. Trey was very pleased.
As the night grew, Sally was clapping along with the musicians. From the way she swayed her feet, she would have liked to dance. But with all the smaller Pokemon around her, she made herself content by watching the dancers from the sidelines.
A shift of the air caught her eye and she turned. A large shadowy Pokemon was settling in beside her. Even though he had a barrel-shaped chest drifting down to a thin waist, his head was oddly small for his body. And he didn't have legs either, just a trail of ghostly smoke. A strange yellow antenna twisted on his head, indicating that he could feel things beyond normal senses.
"It's odd to find a human in these lands," the Dusknoir said in a low but kindly voice. "Even odder than finding one with white hair."
Sally raised her eyebrows, giving him a questioning look.
He met her with equal curiosity. "I haven't met any, but I know some about your kind. Tell me, you would be the one they call Sally?"
She nodded.
"My name is Drakken. What are you doing here in the lands of Pokemon?"
She looked puzzled, then shrugged. She made a few signs, then tapped her mouth.
For a second, Sally thought she caught a smile start on Drakken's face. But then he settled for something more sympathetic. "Oh, you do not speak? My, you are one mysterious character."
She gave her odd-sounding laugh, then clapped at the end of the song.
"But everyone speaks warmly of you, so you must be kinder than some that our ancients speak of." He looked over at the band. "I wonder… what kinds of music do you know of your people, and such things?" When she gave him a clueless shrug, he went on, "I'm sorry for being suddenly intrusive, but I've always valued knowledge. Knowing that I do not know much about something is frustrating. It must be frustrating to you as well, given your unfortunate disability."
Their exchange was interrupted by a girlish squeal from Flora. She skipped up to them. "Oh my gosh, Sally! Do you know what's going on between Stacy and Trey? Because my friend Gloria saw the two of them holding paws and going down towards the beach a while ago, and Chiaka told me not to bug them. But I hadn't heard anything about the two of them going out."
Sally smiled and signed that she didn't know, but then Kip interrupted with, "Just let 'em be. Better to not interrupt young lovebirds, if that's the deal. Later, though, that's a whole different story."
"Eek, so they are dating?" Flora asked happily.
"They weren't before. Anyhow, it's none of my business and I'm happy to keep it that way." Sally poked him on the forehead, so he looked up. "What? I don't have a lady at the moment and if you saw something, don't say anything." It made her laugh.
"It would be better to let them be, and not gossip about such things," Drakken noted.
The Sunflora stilled when she realized that he was there with them."Um… hi, Drakken… sir."
"Hey is this the first time I've seen you struck speechless?" Kip asked, grinning.
"ATTENTION!" Larry's voice carried throughout the entire party. "The band has an announcement! All of you taller and bigger folks who have been polite enough to stay out of the main square, we're giving a dance just for you. So don't be shy now."
"That's quite thoughtful," Drakken said, as various others like the Gyarados lady, Casey the Kangaskan, and a Golem came off the sidelines. "I'm a stranger here, though."
Sally got up and shook her head. She then offered her hand to Drakken with a kind smile. If he wasn't too sure about going out, then she would accompany him.
Seemingly nervous, he first brought his right hand to his chest. "I'm not sure about this. You have been nice and tolerant, but…"
"Aw come on," Kip taunted. "I betcha nearly every guy at this party is jealous of you now because Sally's asking you to dance with her."
In a silly mood, she giggled at that. Drakken's face turned a shade darker, as if blushing. "Well it's not quite appropriate between humans and Pokemon… but I guess, just a dance is fine." He took her hand and they went out with the others on the square.
Near the end of the song, Stacy and Trey came back. "What's going on?" the Squirtle asked.
"Sally's dancing with Drakken," Flora replied. "He was right here and, oh my gosh, but I couldn't talk to him. But she got him to dance with her!"
"So what were you doing?" Kip asked them. "Making out?"
"No!" Stacy said in a startled embarrassment. "We were just out talking."
"Right, that's what every couple says about walks to the beach at night," he returned.
"We were just talking," Trey said. "We weren't gone that long."
"But you're still holding paws," Kip pointed out.
The song ended and a number of watchers cheered and clapped for those who had been dancing. Sally came back over to them, with a bubbly smile and a wave at Stacy and Trey. Just behind her, Drakken followed. "Thank you for the dance," he said. "You're quite graceful."
After she signed something, Trey translated, "She says you were too, so she didn't have to worry about getting her toes stepped on. But he doesn't have any feet… oh."
She laughed at him, clapping. She was obviously in a good mood.
"I don't get that comment every day," Drakken said. "If you'll pardon me, I'm looking to speak with some others. But it was good to meet you, Sally." He then drifted off into the shadows.
Uxie's head was bandaged up. After his request that his eyes not be opened, the doctor Blissa had cheerfully wrapped the bandages right around them. It put his mind at ease that he couldn't accidentally hurt anyone while he was recovering.
But worry still plagued him, about his sister and brother. Now that he was alert, he tried to reach out to them again; his last message had been cut short and probably was making them worried sick. However, something seemed to block his telepathy tonight.
Something that felt like a wintery breeze on a warm spring night.
The party was warm and vibrant, full of life and excitement. On the breeze was a touch of summer flowers, still warmed by the sun. All the residents and visitors to Treasure Town were happy, laughing, chatting, singing, and dancing together. All but one. This was so different for Drakken that he couldn't trust it.
Something was going to happen. Joy was something to be wary about, as it hid some darker purpose or made one careless. And trust was a weak force; for these Pokemon to trust one another so fully was foolish. This whole era was foolish. That must have been why the Master had been so set on keeping things as they were, so this time of fools did not continue.
Most of all, Drakken was worried about Sally. Was she trying to torment him? Or had something happened to her? He knew about her talent of seeing things. It had been a massive risk to take her hand, even if it had allowed him to blend in better by joining the dance. Watching her talk with her new friends, he anxiously waited to see if it would be triggered. But then maybe she was messing with his head, accepting him with such apparent blind faith. At any rate, he couldn't let Dialga find out about this.
But nothing seemed to come of letting her touch him. And there was only a small chance that this was the wrong human. The combination of being false albino, deaf, female, tall (by female standards), with those machines, and named Sally was almost strong enough to identify her correctly. At this point, the only thing that would clench the proof was knowing that she had the blessings of Giratina. He wanted to see this before moving ahead. But he didn't want to see it in connection with her (and his) rather reckless behavior.
In the end, the lead he had been following was false. But he had come across the human, if by accident. And a new lead was in the tales these carefree and foolish Pokemon: a Grovyle was stealing Time Gears, even going so far as to harm a legendary Pokemon. That could only be one Pokemon in Drakken's mind. In that case, he had to get the cooperation of the Pokemon around him.
That would be easy. Still, he wanted to get back to his era soon. This era was so false, colorful brightness that hid savage hearts. At least the Pokemon of his era were honest with themselves.
"LARRY! YOU'RE LATE!"
Stacy woke up to the ringing insistence of Chiaka the Chimecho. As Sally put down her current seweing project, they heard Larry reply, "WHAT THE HEY? I'M STILL TIRED!"
"YOU WERE UP TOO LATE AT THE PARTY! BUT WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO TODAY! THE GUILDMASTER SAYS SO!"
On hearing Larry groan, Stacy and Sally chuckled.
"NOW YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL EVERY SINGLE COTTON PICKING MORNING!" a third voice shouted.
The daily meeting was accompanied by a few disgruntled and tired looks, a few amused and barely-not-laughing looks, and the occasional whatever look. Then they were sent off onto their usual work.
While Team Marmalade was checking out the boards for jobs, Bobby the Bidoof came up to Stacy. "Hey, um, mind if I ask your team to help me out on a job?"
"Oh, no problem," she said. "What is it?"
"Well, there might be a problem, but… I took a job yesterday to go looking for somebody: a Buneary called Bethany."
Sally suddenly looked attentive. Trey did too. "Bethany? Isn't she the girl who runs the craft store?"
"Um, yup, so you know her?"
While the human nodded, Trey said, "Sally stops by there to buy stuff for sewing accessories."
"Ah, I see. Well Miss Bethany was last seen headed to Amp Plains and hasn't been back for three days. I looked all over that place for two days, but I haven't found her yet. So, um, I'd like more people to come search."
"Sure, we can do that."
Trey put his hand on her shell. "Hang on, Stacy, think about it. Amp Plains is known for thunderstorms and being home to lots of Electric Pokemon. You'd be at a big disadvantage going in there."
"Well I'm not going to let someone stay lost for that long without trying to look. Besides, if I stick with one of you guys, it ought to be okay. So you guys know Bethany. Is there anything particular about her?"
"Hmm." Trey crossed his arms over his chest.
Sally tapped him and made a sign.
"Oh yes, that's right. She always wears a straw hat with a floppy brim and a red ribbon. It might not be much, but she's the only one I've seen around here wearing a hat like that."
"That might be enough. So let's go."
Amp Plains was a large stony field with hardly any vegetation. Overhead, there brewed thick and dark clouds crackling with electric power. The air was filled with static; Trey's leaf tail began to sway and Bobby's fur puffed up. But if Stacy was feeling uncomfortable, she didn't show any signs of it. After a short discussion, Bobby went with Stacy and Trey went with Kip. Sally walked around on her own. From her natural height, she could see where they were at most times and could reach them quickly if they got in trouble. And, logically, she would see Bethany first. That is, if the Buneary was out in the open.
After searching completely through nine levels, they still hadn't found her. "If we go in further, the thunderstorms get stronger," Trey said as the group gathered near the passage, a large metal arch. Oddly enough, these metal arches seemed natural, formed like vines that had grown up fifteen feet high, then gathered at a point with an orb that crackled with electricity.
"We still haven't found her, though," Bobby said. "Looks like we have to go on."
Sally then came over. She knelt down and handed them a straw hat with a floppy brim and a red ribbon.
"It's her hat!" Trey said. "Where was it?"
She indicated in the middle of one of the raised sections, but then made some signs.
"Huh. She says she searched around in the rocks, but found no other sign of her."
"Let's keep going," Stacy said.
Back at the Guild, Matti was working on filing reports. He saw Drakken wandering through the shelves where all the data was stored. But the Guildmaster had said to let him be. And so far, they hadn't really talked except for exchanging greetings.
But then Drakken started a conversation. "How long have you worked here, Matti?"
Feeling awed that the famous explorer had remembered his name, he said, "Oh, me? This is my first day, actually. But the Guild's helped me and my little brother out, so I'm helping them now."
"That's good of you."
"Um, Drakken? I hope you don't mind me asking…"
"Go ahead."
"Do you not like the sun or something? I know you're a Ghost and all, but the Duskulls are generally outside during the day and everybody else is out exploring. But you're in here."
"It's not that I don't appreciate the sun or that I'm not thankful for the warmth, light, and life it brings," Drakken said, "But I find that I do my best work at night, or in dark places."
"Oh." The Marill smiled. "Well, I suppose every Pokemon has different ways of doing things."
Drakken chuckled. "You seem quite perceptive for someone your age. It's very admirable. Now if you don't mind a question in exchange for yours, I notice that you seem worried. Is something the matter?"
Matti blushed. "Oh, well, I suppose it's no big deal, but I worry anyhow. My big sister is an explorer. She's with Team Marmalade and they've been to lots of dangerous places already. But today, they went out to Amp Plains to help Bobby search for somebody. Amp Plains is just a bit extra dangerous, you know, since she's a Water type too and the group she's with isn't particularly effective at dealing with lots of Electric Pokemon."
"Amp Plains, is it? It's very daring for a Water type…" he paused. "But no… this time of year would be when…"
"When what?" Matti asked.
"They don't have anyone particularly effective against Electrics?" Drakken asked, sounding concerned.
That worried Matti a great deal more. "Um, well… I suppose Trey wouldn't be hurt a lot as he's a Grass type. Then Bobby and Kip are both Normals. And Sally, well, I don't know how well humans deal with electricity."
"Humans can do things with electricity that no Pokemon can do. But then again… they could be in deep trouble."
"What?!"
Drakken patted him. "Calm down. I'll go after them myself. It is important to find that lost person, but then they might need my help to avoid trouble." He then left the Guild.
"Oh dear," Matti said to himself, gripping his pencil extra tight. Drakken was going to help them, but what if Stacy and her friends got in trouble before the Dusknoir could reach them? And, should he tell Azeri?
No, he didn't want to worry his little brother too. He would just have to be worried all by himself.
Back in Amp Plains, the group headed deeper into the rocky landscape, still looking around slowly for Bethany the Buneary. The rocks had gotten darker and redder in color as they went along. "Something seems odd," Bobby told them at one passage. "The past two days I've been looking, this place has been filled with Electric and other Pokemon. But it's really quiet today."
"I noticed that too," Trey said. "Something seems odd."
"The natives probably know something that we don't," Kip said. "Like some hidden ancient danger, or maybe just some super predator."
"A super predator?" Bobby asked, shivering. "That sounds scary."
A few levels later, Stacy came across a bush near a small pile of orange rocks that seemed to be moving oddly. "Miss Bethany?" she called out. "Are you here?"
"Huh?" A brown face peered between leaves of the bush, and then the craft store owner came out. "Oh yes, that's me."
Stacy smiled. "Thank goodness we found you. Have you been hurt?"
"Oh, no, I just got so lost and I'm not sure where I've gotten to now. And I haven't had anything to eat all day; do you have anything?"
"Oh sure." Bobby pulled out a Big Apple and handed it to Bethany. "And I'm real sorry I couldn't find you sooner. I've been trying."
"Well, you did, so thanks." She devoured the fruit hungrily.
Stacy waved over Sally, who got Kip and Trey's attention. "The next passage is over that way," Kip said as they came in.
Trey took the hat out of his Treasure Bag. "Here, we found this a while back."
"And you found my hat too? Geez, thanks so much." She slipped it on, putting her ears between two slots and tying the ribbon around her chin. "There was a great burst of wind and I lost it too. It didn't feel right to be without my hat."
"So you found her," a different voice said as a large Ghost approached them.
"Hello Drakken," Stacy said.
"Oh my gosh, the Drakken?" Bethany asked, putting her paws to her lips in surprise.
"Golly, what are you doing here?" Bobby asked. "Exploring too?"
"Actually, I came to find you all and get you out before trouble found you," Drakken told them.
"What kind of trouble?" Trey asked.
He pointed towards the exit to the level. "Down that next passage, you'll find a quiet floor of a large open meadow." A crack of thunder came from that area. "The storms are strongest there, and with the spring season we are currently in, even stronger. So it attracts a wandering band of Shinx, Luxio, and Luxray. This clan is very suspicious of outsiders, ever since a surprise attack killed off many of their members."
"That's terrible," Stacy said. "Then they wouldn't like it if we went over there."
Drakken nodded. "Right, they would most likely attack you on sight without question. They're not bad Pokemon, just paranoid and defensive."
"Well then how do we get out of the dungeon, then?" Bobby asked. "There isn't a warp panel on this level."
"I brought some Escape Orbs with me, just in case." He pulled one out. "Who's acting as leader?"
"Bobby," Stacy said. "As he's the most senior out of us."
"Technically, within the guild," Kip stated.
"All right, then here." Drakken passed the Orb to Bobby.
"Okay, Miss Bethany, we'll take you home now," he told the Buneary.
"Thank goodness," she said as the orb broke and teleported them all back to Treasure Town.
Over dinner, Drakken spoke with Team Marmalade and Bobby. Mostly Trey; the two found that they had a common interest in books and spent much of that time discussing ones they had both read.
Partway in, Sally tapped Trey on the shoulder and gave him a few signs that made him smile. "Oh, she says that she likes Wingulliver's Travels too," he told Drakken. "Because of all the interesting places he goes."
"It is a wonderful book," Drakken said. "Now the human sign language, that isn't something I've picked up. It's only useful if you come across a human who can't speak. But then, I'm sure it helps you a lot with Sally on your team."
"It does; she's a big help on the team."
"Well that's partly because she's also big," Kip pointed out, making Sally laugh. While at dinner, she had to kneel on the floor to eat with everyone. But she didn't seem to mind.
Also being large, Drakken settled back with her against the wall. "That does come in handy from time to time, but then again, so does being small. I do wonder where you picked up a human specific language, though."
"Wigglytuff has a book in storage about it," Trey explained. "It's quite a bit larger than me, but has pictures for every sign so that I was able to learn it fairly quick."
"She has other ways of communicating, though," Bobby said. "Like that thing she does when she covers your eyes."
"What kind of thing is that?" Drakken asked.
"Well she doesn't do that with everybody," Stacy said. "Just her friends, it seems like. But she sometimes has strange visions and feelings that she can relate to others by covering their eyes and transferring the vision. I don't like to rely on it though, since it causes her pain to do it."
Sally made some signs and a weird face, to which Trey translated, "She says it's like Larry's shouts every morning, just from inside her head and much stronger. That does sound pretty awful."
Drakken looked to Sally. "Where did you pick up this skill?"
She shrugged and made some more signs.
"She says it's just always been there."
"But then she doesn't remember anything past a certain point either," Stacy added. "From just before she arrived in Treasure Town, actually."
"How mysterious," Drakken said. "Well I can't say much more about the amnesia without more information; memory loss can be caused by many things, from magic to head trauma. But her way of seeing things… is it things in the past or things in the future?"
"I'm not sure," Stacy said.
Sally made some signs, so Trey said, "It seems like both, really. Because she saw that Bartleby had been in that one dungeon years ago, but also saw Azeri's kidnapping days before it actually happened. And sometimes it's not even a vision, just a voice or a feeling."
"Hmm… that does sound like something I've read about before."
"What is it?" Trey asked, curious.
"It's called the Dimensional Scream," Drakken told him.
"Sounds scary," Azeri said.
"Kind of. It's a mixed blessing, as you can learn about things that you couldn't normally find out, but you also have to deal with the pain it causes. And it seems to be tied to Giratina, a legendary Pokemon on whom very little information is available. When someone with the Dimensional Scream talent touches something, there is a chance they will learn something about it. It can be anything: a person, a trinket, the water in a pond. However, they have no real control over when it triggers, or over what it shows. The vision could be of the past, the present, or the future. It's a rare gift, one given only under unknown requirements."
Trey recalled when they had first met Sally and how some of her behaviors seemed odd. But maybe she had kept some memory of having the Dimensional Scream. She had tried to touch many things to strange unspoken purposes: the water at the beach, the rocks of Beach Cave, even that jar of marmalade.
"That makes it seem even stranger," Stacy said. "But it helps us out on many missions. I just wish it didn't hurt her quite as much as it did."
Sally shrugged and made some signs.
"She says that's the cost of power, so she doesn't mind," Trey translated.