Chapter X

"Okay Magneton, Thunder!" Lyra commanded, dropping the Zubat. If Lyra was right, the experience should raise its power levels…

Almost before the Zubat hit the ground, Magneton began to spark. Lyra opened her Pokédex to record the change. She'd already recorded a change in a Nosepass; now Magneton too? Were there unusual electromagnetic forces around the mountain? Both of the Pokémon she'd been told often mutated at Mt Coronet had some form of natural magnetism…

The metal of the three Magnemite that formed Magneton was warping and melding into a new shape. "Zooooone," it called. That was a new sound.

"Zone… Magnezone?" Lyra suggested.

"Maaaagneeezooooone," Magnezone agreed, the new antennae that had sprouted on top of its head- it now had a central head, with two of the Magnemite melded onto the side- twitching in response. Lyra scanned it with the Pokédex, taking new vital statistics. She'd have to get another Magneton and show Blue this; its power readings were huge!

"Congratulations, Magnezone," she said, tentatively patting its shell, unsure of whether or not it had complete control over its new power levels yet. A couple of sparks hit her fingers, but Magnezone had adapted remarkably quickly; she'd sustained worse when training a Pichu. "This is really impressive. I bet everyone back in Johto and Kanto'll want to see you!"

"Maag mag," Magnezone crooned, its eye curving in what was a smile for the Magnemite species, given how they didn't have mouths.

"Is it okay if I send you to Professor Oak, then?" Lyra asked, raising the Pokéball. Magnezone nodded its magnets in the affirmative. "Alright then. You be good for him, and we might see more of you around, eh?"

She could see daylight around the corner; she must be reaching the exit nearest Eterna City. She returned Magnezone and stepped out of the cave, blinking a little against the sunlight. Almost instantly, her Pokégear began to buzz as it got a signal.

"An email?" She said, picking it up. "No, a call! Hey, Gold!"

"Hey, Lyra!" Gold greeted her cheerily. "Where ya been? I've been trying to call for ages!"

"I was underground, no signal," Lyra said, carefully stepping onto the bridge across the river. "What's up?"

"Ah, I was just lonely, so I thought I'd say hi."

"Lonely? Where's Kris?"

"Her mom bugged her to go home for a bit to see her cousin. I'd go with, but I'm kinda on a deadline for the next Ever Grande League meet, y'know?"

"That's too bad," Lyra sympathized, then grinning as she switched to teasing mode. "Bet you really miss her, huh?"

"Hell yeah!" Gold responded vehemently, to her surprise. "Oh, hey, did ya hear? We're official now!"

"For real?" Lyra squealed. "All right! 'Bout damn time! Seriously, you guys make Slowbro look like a Rapidash!"

"Tease all you like, like I care anymore," Gold laughed. "Nyah-nyeah. However, that doesn't mean a cease-fire from me. How're things going with ol' Bluey?"

"He's not here yet, I've gotten to the mountain a week early," Lyra said, deliberately ignoring the jab. "It's a fascinating place. There's some real mutation going on here, I think electromagnetic fields have something to do with it. In other news, I should land my third Sinnoh badge today or tomorrow. How 'bout you?"

"Really? Already? I'm chasing up number six myself. Fortree City, the place's called. Sounds like fun. Not as much fun as it would be with Crystal there…"

"Awww," Lyra crooned as Gold sighed heavily. "Poor baby." She caught sight of buildings. "Much as I'd love to keep chatting and relieve you of your loneliness, Eterna City's in sight, and so's its gym. Better speed up, or I'll hit Suzuran before you reach Ever Grande City!"

"Aw c'mon, don't hog all the championships to yourself!" Gold teased. "Ah, some asshole's bugging me for a battle anyway. Gold out!"

"See ya," Lyra said before he hung up. Then she headed for the Pokémon Centre to retrieve her team and get a bed for the night. She'd have to challenge Gardenia in the morning.

-P-

"What the hell happened, Silver?" Lance asked, looping an arm around the teenager's shoulders to help him stand. Silver was extremely shaky, and very pale. His expression was odd, and it took Lance a moment to realize that it was because it was unguarded; Silver always controlled his emotions so tightly, it was both unusual and unnerving to see him let that drop.

"I saw it," he said, a little jerkily. He was trying to keep fear out of his voice, but if he meant the it Lance thought he did, he had every right to be terrified. "It's…"

"Calm down," Lance said. "Collect yourself, strengthen your centre. You can tell us everything in front of the master." Silver just nodded and closed his eyes, trying to even out his breathing as they walked. He seemed a little uncoordinated. "Do you need to rest up a minute?"

"No, I need to walk," Silver said, shaking his head. "Just… reminding my brain what legs are. And what they're for. Gotta use 'em to do that."

Lance wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to know what the teen meant by that, but had the uncomfortable feeling that he was about to find out.

-P-

"Hmmm," Lyra yawned in frustration, checking her phone for what felt like the fiftieth time. She'd tried calling and emailing Blue, but no response either way, not last night or this morning. What was up with him?

"Maybe I should call Daisy or somebody and ask…" she wondered, but Typhlosion tapped her on the shoulder and growled. They'd reached the Eterna City Gym; it looked like a huge greenhouse. Lyra could see trees growing inside through the glass walls and ceilings.

"Just like Bugsy and Erika's places, huh?" she said. Typhlosion nodded and spat out an ember. "Yeah. You took them down no problem. I heard Gardenia won't battle anyone who can't beat her students, but that's hardly a problem for you, is it?"

Typhlosion grinned and roared, flaring up her flame mane.

-P-

She was drifting confusedly. Where was she? Who was she? Was she… oh god, was she still…?

You're out of that place. It's alright. You're inside your own mind, just things are still a little mixed up at the moment.

She knew that voice, the one resonating inside her mind. She sought a name. "I know you…" she said aloud. "I trust you… but right now, I can't think who you are…"

That's alright. Like I said, your mind is jumbled. I'm trying to help put the pieces back together, but you know the inside of your head better than I do, you're the only one who really knows where everything goes. The first step is to remain calm.

"O… okay…" she sighed heavily. "Leaf," she said abruptly. "That's it. That's who I am."

Good. Hold onto that.

"And you… you're Mewtwo?" she said in surprise. Knowledge was trickling back into place, like it'd never left. "You're Mewtwo," she repeated. "The genetically engineered Pokémon that my brother battled. He never really said if he caught you or not…"

He was my friend. I am indebted to him. That is why I seek to protect you now.

"Thanks," Leaf said, smiling at the inside of her mind and wondering if he could see that. But hey. He could hear her talking, so you never knew. "I… have a feeling, like I was just somewhere bad. But I can't remember it right now."

I have sealed those memories away, until you've gotten your mind back into shape. They would crush you otherwise.

"Okay." Leaf calmly started sorting through the mess around her, looking for familiarity, order. "Am I asleep?"

Officially, you're in a coma in the Saffron City Hospital. Your mother is at your bedside and I am concealing myself outside of your window.

"Sounds a bit stalkerish."

Heh. Wisecracks. You're feeling more comfortable in yourself. You might be strong enough to regain consciousness soon.

"Will you give me my memories back then?"

I will give you your memories at the right time. And then some of the knowledge I have accumulated elsewhere. It will be necessary.

"Hey, when I wake up…" Leaf said, still sorting through the chaos, "can you remind me that I need to call… hmm… Lyra and Crystal. They both have Pokémon connected to the Ruins of Alph, and I need to go back there. And then… there are three more Pokémon we need to find, deeply connected to the Unown."

Do not worry. I already know where they are.

-P-

"Hey there," Lyra said, stepping up onto the challenger's podium. "I'm Lyra. You're Gardenia, right?"

A camouflaged figure stood up, separating herself from the bushes where she'd been crouched. The bud that she'd been crouched over transpired to be a Turtwig, which wandered out beside her. Gardenia herself, despite leading an all-female Gym like Erika, reminded Lyra more of Bugsy; she definitely wasn't a delicate creature like the grass mistress, and with her tomboyish haircut and shapeless green and brown clothes, Gardenia could easily be mistaken for a boy, like Bugsy was occasionally mistaken for a girl (He and Lyra got to chatting whenever she was in Azalea for custom Pokeballs, and he'd once confessed that he "might as well be gay, I get that many guys hitting on me"). From the way she jumped up onto the podium, she was just as spunky and maybe a little hyperactive. Being around a lot of nature seemed to give people a lot of energy sometimes.

"I'm Gardenia," the woman confirmed. "So you beat my students?"

"In no time," Lyra confirmed, patting Typhlosion's paw. "I hope you're better than them. Typhlosion's not exactly running on fumes here."

"So you'll lead with Typhlosion?" Gardenia said with a worrying grin. Lyra looked at Typhlosion, who nodded. Gardenia had something up her sleeve, but they were ready to counter it.

"Sure," Lyra said. "Why make things tough on myself?"

"Alright, then…" Gardenia nodded to something in the bushes, which stepped forwards. The entire bush moved, and only then did Lyra realize it was a Torterra. "Let's go, Torterra!"

"Ah, geez," Lyra moaned. "Typhlosion! Cut!"

"Torterra, Earthquake!" Gardenia responded, knocking Typhlosion off her feet as she slashed at the tree on Torterra's back, which dealt a major but unfortunately not critical wound. "Now Stone Edge!"

"Typhlosion, return!" Lyra called before the strike could hit. "No point in knocking you out here. I'll need your best strike later."

"Cut's pretty effective against delicate grass-types," Gardenia acknowledged. "So what now? Another fire-type?"

"Nah, I've got a better idea than fire," Lyra said, "though I never thought I'd say that. Go for it, Noctowl!"

"Nooooc!" Noctowl hooted, flying out of his pokéball and flying in circles over the arena. It was Gardenia's turn to moan in frustration.

"Ground that thing with Stone Edge, Torterra!" she commanded.

"You're faster, Noctowl! Psychic!" Lyra commanded. Noctowl's psychic blast smacked into Torterra and knocked it out of the battle clearing before it had even raised the stones. "Good job!"

"If you want to take this fight to the sky, I'll use Jumpluff!" Gardenia cried, releasing the floating blue Pokémon. "Toxic!"

"Quick, Noctowl, heat wave!" Lyra commanded, but Jumpluff was faster. The heat wave blasted it away, but not before Noctowl took a hit of poisonous purple sludge. "Noctowl!"

"Toooo…" Noctowl moaned as the poison began to take its toll. He nibbled his leftovers, which would keep him going for a while, but the poison was depleting his health too quickly. "Just hang on!"

"Finish it with a Shadow Ball!" Gardenia commanded, returning the floored Jumpluff and calling on a Roserade, which sashayed out of the bushes and fired a black ball at Noctowl… which passed harmlessly through it.

"Sorry, but while it uses many psychic attacks, Noctowl isn't a psychic-type," Lyra said. "But if I recall correctly, Roserade is grass/poison, yes? Pretty weak against psychic!"

"Toooow Noc!" Noctowl hooted, sending another psychic blast at Roserade, which threw it right back into the bushes it came from. Noctowl landed in front of Lyra, visibly ailing.

"That's enough for now, Noctowl," she said, returning him. "No point in pushing it too far. You can take it from here, right, Ampharos?"

"An electric-type?" Gardenia said in surprise. "Bellossom, you're up! Sunny Day!"

"Bella!" The Bellossom said brightly, dancing into the clearing. She did a little dance, causing the sun to shine strongly on the field.

"I can guess that you're aiming for a serial Solarbeam," Lyra said, "but first you've charged up Ampharos' Fire Punch! Take it!"

"Aaaaaaaa!" Ampharos yelled as her fist caught ablaze, punching Bellossom right out.

"Agh!" Gardenia yelped. She put Bellossom into a pokéball and looked around, before grinning. "But it's not the end yet. Is it, Cherrim?"

"Cheeeri!" Cherrim sang, jumping into the field. Due to the Sunny Day, it was in full bloom, pink petals spread and a bright smile on its little face. At that moment, Lyra's phone rang.

"Kinda busy right now," she said quickly into the phone, intending to hang up straight away, but Professor Oak yelled before she could.

"Come to Kanto, Leaf's awake and she's asking for you!"

"She's awake? What do you mean?" Lyra asked, momentarily distracted. "What happened to-?"

"Don't you dare ignore me!" Gardenia yelled, visibly annoyed, as Cherrim suddenly lit up in a blaze of light that knocked Ampharos off her feet.

"Solarbeam?" Lyra yelped. Gardenia nodded.

"You sussed my strategy, just with the wrong Pokémon," she admonished Lyra. "That's what you get for not paying attention."

"Ampharos, return!" Lyra called. "Alright… come back out, Typhlosion!"

"Typhlosion?" Gardenia said in surprise. "But Torterra already dealt it a serious blow! It won't last long!"

"She only needs one attack, and with the powerup of Sunny Day, it won't take her as much energy to use it," Lyra said. "Right, Typhlosion?"

"TyyyPHLOOOO!" Typhlosion cried, blasting out a powerful wave of fire; the ultimate fire attack, Blast Burn. Cherrim didn't stand a chance.

"Okay, Professor," Lyra said into her Pokégear. "Give me two minutes to get my badge, and then tell me just what the hell you're talking about."

-P-

What do you think of the new fire starter? I think it's really cute, but the other two… not so much. Most of the Pokémon are way too weird these days. The original idea was meant to be a virtual simulation of going out into the woods to find interesting bugs and animals, something Tajiri-sama loved doing as a child but feared that industrialization would make it impossible for modern children to do. True to that, I vastly prefer the Pokémon that look like something you'd see on a field trip rather than an acid trip.

(This whole thing at the bottom was meant to be about questions about the story, but most of them aren't… I take that as a good sign that the story's not losing anyone XD)

I would never presume to claim Pokémon as my own. I bow at Tajiri Satoshi-sama's feet for its creation.