Akumu is sleeping in the next morning. That doesn't confirm anything, though. For all I know his fear could have kept him up all night. That thought worries me.
Our encounter with Team Galactic was double-sided. I feel more confident now that I know we can still beat them to a pulp, but I'm anxious to think that the entirety of the team could be chasing after us now. The grunt yesterday said something about a place called Spear Pillar. I don't recall hearing the name before, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't hold anything in store for us.
Zekpoid, however, does have an opinion on the matter. "Spear Pillar… I think I've heard of it before," he tells us. "It's at the top of Mount Coronet, far to the north… but that's all I can remember. It must be a fragment of the memory I lost."
I still watch the Pastoria Gym warily. The team and I attempt the preliminary Trainer's challenge, but with my apparent type disadvantages I'm still not all that confident. Plus, the dark cloud of Team Galactic's threat is hanging over my head. The more experience my Pokemon can get, the better. After all, it sounds like our main concern for now is fending off Team Galactic. If the grunt yesterday wasn't bluffing, we could have a whole lot more than just one little man on our hands.
"We can't stay here much longer," I think aloud. My Pokemon seem to agree with me – Team Galactic's involvement in the Lake Valor area is far too close to Pastoria City for comfort. Akumu suggests retreating back to Hearthome or Solaceon. Zekpoid vouches for Hearthome; Solaceon is within reasonable distance from Veilstone City, which as we know is one of Team Galactic's main headquarters. Staying there might be a little bit too risky.
Our plan decided, we skip the Gym and head back to Hearthome City. On the way, Akumu manages to catch me drifting away from the other Pokemon and seizes the chance for conversation.
"It's my fault we're being forced to run away," he mutters regretfully, his ice-blue eyes glued to the ground. His back curves in a slouch more than normal – Team Galactic must be really getting to him.
"No, it's not," I insist. We've already had this argument once before. "Nobody asked for Team Galactic to turn their focus to legendary Pokemon. Besides, we like having you with us."
Akumu nods slowly, but still doesn't look convinced.
We manage to fit in a little bit more training on our journey north, but overall the team is drained from the Galactic encounter yesterday. It was really only one battle, but the stress caused by the criminals appears to be more than they can handle. It's almost as though Akumu's fear is a contagious disease that soaks into the rest of the team like water into a sponge.
I watch Hearthome City as it passes by. I'm heading for the Pokemon Center, but right now it just feels like a tiny corner of the world into which I've been squeezed with my Pokemon.
Later in the night Akumu strikes up his argument again with me. He doesn't have to nudge my shoulder to wake me up, though – my eyes are already open long after dark.
"None of you asked for Team Galactic to chase you like a pack of Houndour," Akumu mumbles from his spot on the floor. "I'm the one who decided to come along in the first place… it's really about time that I went home and solved these problems on my own."
"But I don't want you to go back home," I retort, not worrying about keeping my voice below normal conversation volume. Akumu is most likely focusing on putting the others to sleep right now.
"What about your Pokemon?" Akumu asks, the light slowly fading from his cold, crystalline eyes. "They might have second thoughts."
That's strange. I could have sworn I said 'we,' not 'I.' "If they wanted you gone, they would have complained a long time ago," I told him matter-of-factly. "Stop worrying about this whole Team Galactic thing."
"I can't stop worrying. I'm putting us all in danger just by existing." Akumu turns his face under his crossed arms – now I have no visual sign that he's in the room. "I would… get very frustrated if I ended up hurting you and your Pokemon just by walking around with you."
I'm getting a little tired, starting to lose my will to argue. But there has to be something I can say to convince Akumu that he's wrong. What is it?
"I'll just get help from the other Darkrai by myself. Cresselia is the least of my worries now." Akumu's voice is muted in the pressuring silence, and by the fact that he's speaking to his knees.
Something about the thought of Akumu abandoning me and my Pokemon bothers me. A lot. Especially after these several years I've had him. Akumu vanishing from my life would probably feel like a chunk falling out of my brain.
"Please don't leave," I tell him. "I'd miss you."
Silence.
"I don't want to leave, either," he finally sighs. "But I feel like it's my only choice."
"It's not. Stay with us, and we'll fight. We'll head straight to Veilstone and kick every last grunt out of those headquarters, if that's what it takes."
"Do you want to sacrifice yourselves like that?"
"It wouldn't be a sacrifice," I assure him. "No way we're going to lose against any old crooks who are putting our friend in trouble."
"How do you know that? Team Galactic is strong—"
"Because losing would be unacceptable," I interrupt. "End of story. We'll head straight for Veilstone City tomorrow and go wipe them out. Infiltrate their headquarters. Understand?"
No response. Since he's not arguing anymore, I take that as a yes.
"Wait," he starts suddenly. "We're going inside… where no regular people are?"
"That's right, assuming there are no 'regular people' in the building."
He lifts his head in a split second. "Good… then I can fight too. No use in hiding if they're all already aware of me…"
Unexpectedly his ice-blue eyes turn to me, hard and frozen with confidence. "I'll help you, and we'll go wipe them out." I guess that a smile is curving across his face right now.
"Sure, that works." To be honest, I'm too worn out to talk anymore, so I just try to sleep for now.
Evidently Akumu is excited to go teach Team Galactic a lesson the next morning, because he wakes up at the same time I do. The Pokemon and I start outside so that I can explain the plan we formed last night. We begin heading south so that I can share the expectations while we're getting closer to Veilstone.
We barely make it south of the Pokemon Center, though, before Akumu stops walking suddenly. Nowadays there is only one reason he would do that. I stare ahead at the main road leading south; sure enough, two Galactic grunts are sprinting up the street as though trying to win a medal for time in the one-hundred-meter, accompanied by a considerably slower and more relaxed Commander Saturn.
My brain works as quickly as the Galactic grunts' feet. "Searcher, guard Akumu. Uma and Gabrias, step forward. This might turn out to be an early-morning training session."
"I don't –" Akumu's protest cuts off as he realize he does need protecting right now. But that won't be true for long.
The Galactic grunts slide to a halt in front of my Pokemon, instantly sending out their Zubats. Though Searcher isn't much bigger than the Zubats, he is definitely stronger physically, and has no trouble thrusting them away with his sharp stingers. Akumu doesn't even look worried in the slightest.
"We meet again," Saturn growls, putting his hands on his hips. "This is the last time I'm asking – hand over the Darkrai and nobody gets hurt."
"Not on your life," I snap. Uma and Gabrias stiffen in front of me, the latter brandishing his sharpened fins as though he wants to attack Saturn himself.
"Suit yourself. Go, Kadabra."
The familiar fox-like Pokemon with the huge tail materializes, and its narrow black eyes move to Gabrias almost as though it recognizes him from before.
"Use Confusion," Saturn tells Kadabra. The fox Pokemon responds by putting its spoon somewhere near its head. By the sound of the attack's name, it's probably an invisible one.
In a couple of seconds, Gabrias cringes and motions towards his head as though something is tearing at it, although with a shake he forgets the attack and braces himself against the ground, awaiting a command.
"Gabrias, use Dual Chop."
A sharp-toothed smile creeps across his lips – evidently he's taken a liking to this new attack. Uttering a dragon-like growl, he races forward and raises his arms, only to slam them back down right on top of Kadabra. The fox Pokemon flinches against the ground, its shoulders badly wounded by the harsh attack.
Gabrias crosses his fins in front of his torso as if to say "Don't underestimate me."
"Kadabra, Recover," Saturn commands urgently.
The fox Pokemon staggers back to its feet and then focuses its mind on something. Slowly the scratches on its torso begin to heal, but they don't disappear entirely by the time the move ends.
"Go again," I tell Gabrias.
The Gabite enthusiastically repeats his attack, smashing Kadabra with his sharpened fins once again. The fox Pokemon crumples to the ground; its Psychic attacks may be strong, but its Defense could use some work.
Gabrias crosses his arms confidently as Saturn withdraws his Pokemon.
"Go, Toxicroak." Saturn sends out a human-shaped frog Pokemon that looks quite venomous. It has sharp spines on the backs of its hands, matching the fins on Gabrias's wrists.
"Use Revenge."
The Toxicroak leaps forward as fast as a lightning bolt and slashes at Gabrias with its knuckle-claws. Gabrias tries to block the attack with his broad fins, but his opponent is fast and lands blows in several places, sending Gabrias to the ground like Kadabra before him.
Aleta steps forward and pulls the dragon out of the fray again. By this time, Searcher has long done in with the Zubats, and Akumu is hanging back, looking somewhat bored.
"Searcher," I call. "You haven't gotten a good fight in a while. Come take care of this Toxicroak."
"Whee!" Searcher is clearly delighted to be able to attack something other than a wimpy Zubat. He jumps high into the air and buzzes back down gently, glaring at the Toxicroak with his cobalt-blue eyes. He brandishes his stingers, pointing one threateningly towards his opponent. "You're going down."
"Revenge again," Saturn mutters. His Pokemon repeats the attack it had used on Gabrias, although it has much less of an effect on Searcher. The Beedrill acts as though he barely felt anything, and simply bounces back and forth on his slender legs.
"Use Rage," I tell Searcher.
"All right!" The wasp Pokemon lunges forward with his stingers bared, slashing into Toxicroak with surprising force. The frog-like Pokemon cringes away and glares through narrowed yellow eyes; if the first attack was that strong, I wonder what Searcher could potentially do after a hit or so.
"Faint Attack." Saturn's voice is getting shorter and harsher with every move his Toxicroak makes.
Saturn's Pokemon attacks Searcher with a quick punch straight to the face. Searcher reels back but recovers almost instantly. He definitely has an extensive ability to forget about whatever pain is inflicted upon him. This could keep him fighting long enough to hurt himself, though.
He doesn't even need me to command him again. The Beedrill launches himself forwards again and smashes down on Toxicroak.
This exchange goes back and forth for another round until Searcher finally bends over, submitting to the repeated slashes from the Toxicroak. Toxicroak itself looks barely conscious, though. The two Pokemon are at a decent stalemate.
I send Uma forward, and he finishes off the frog-like Pokemon with a Twister attack. Aleta is just now done healing Gabrias back to full fighting spirit, although now she has another job ahead of her. Searcher might be hard to revive once he finally faints…
Saturn grimaces at his fallen Pokemon, but he doesn't shout or say anything particularly angry. "No matter," he murmurs. "I don't need to best you to follow through with the plan."
"Plan?" I echo, advancing another step or so. The other two grunts are long gone. "You can forget about any of your wicked plans."
"Can you back that up?" Saturn challenges, pulling out an object from one of his spacesuit pockets. "I still have this, after all."
Suddenly there's a loud boom from my right side as Zekpoid slams down an oversized foot on the pavement. "The Red Chain."
"You know about this already?" Saturn spins the foot-long chain around in his hand a little. "You're a smart Pokemon. I suppose you can tell me what it does, then."
I glance sideways at Zekpoid. How long has he known about the Red Chain? Or could he possibly have just remembered it now?
"I'll spare the details." Zekpoid pulls out a clawed hand from under the cloak and flexes the sturdy fingers. Somehow the tips of his nails start jumping with sky-blue electricity. "Just drop it and get out of here."
"You won't tell me?" Saturn frowns mockingly. "That's too bad, because I don't know either. It will help us, Team Galactic, accomplish our goal of recreating the universe, though."
"Recreating the universe?" Zekpoid and Akumu repeat simultaneously. Akumu steps forward a little bit closer to Zekpoid. "You don't like it how it is?"
"I don't know any fine print," Saturn replies coolly, "but this Red Chain does accomplish that. You'll have to come along to Spear Pillar if you'd like to see how." He turns his rock-hard eyes to Akumu. "Unless you'd like to help me out right now, Darkrai."
"Only if you'd like to be stuck in a nightmare beforehand." Akumu's frigid gaze is equally as steady as Saturn's. He lifts his hand slowly. "If not, run off and go to your Spear Pillar."
"If you insist." The Galactic commander replaces the Red Chain in his pocket. "When you arrive at Spear Pillar, I expect for you to enjoy the show."
He turns on his heel and retreats south, out of sight.
As it turns out, Zekpoid did recognize the Red Chain from somewhere. He doesn't recall where it was or what it does (he was bluffing when he told Saturn he would 'spare the details'), but it involves legendary Pokemon somehow. The next matter is how in the world Team Galactic would be able to recreate the universe. To me, it seems very impossible and far-fetched. Akumu mentions two other legendary Pokemon that exist, though: Dialga, the Lord of Time, and Palkia, the Lord of Space. Together, they would probably have the potential to destroy the world and then create a new one. He hasn't been in contact with them recently, though.
None of this is helping jog Zekpoid's memory. He doesn't recall anything about Dialga and Palkia, even going as far to say that he had never heard their names before. He does know that the Red Chain does something dangerous, though. It seems to play an important role in his amnesia, and its presence jumps out at him like a Golbat out of a cave, but he can't remember what about it is so important.
We decide that Saturn's inviting us to Spear Pillar is definitely a trap. It's a trap that's necessary to set off, though; if Team Galactic really can somehow involve Dialga and Palkia in this entire situation, a lot more than just those two Pokemon could be at stake. As I've learned from walking around with a Darkrai for the last several years, legendary Pokemon have practically limitless power that can be very destructive if used carelessly. All I have to do for now is trust my Pokemon, and dive into everything headfirst without looking back.
It's still early in the morning; there's no reason we should wait to foil Team Galactic's plans until later. We make a beeline for Mount Coronet to the west, with Zekpoid in more of a hurry than usual. Before he was lagging behind a little bit, but this time he's practically at the front of the group, his cloak brushing away from his feet. (That's probably good, since I've always been worried that he would trip over it.)
As always, Mount Coronet is dark on the inside. I halt at the entrance and turn back to my Pokemon. "Do we know that this lets out somewhere?"
"If it didn't, Saturn wouldn't have gone this way," Zekpoid reasons. "Let's go."
"Wait." I look to Akumu. "I need somebody who can see in the dark. You go ahead."
We advance into the pitch-black passage.
"What are we going to do once we get to Spear Pillar?" Aleta asks. "Just try to knock out as many Galactic Pokemon as we can?"
"Probably," Uma responds. He sounds like he's at the back of the group again.
"We could try to make a bit of an entrance," Searcher suggests. I hear quiet whooshes as he stabs at the air with his fists. "Show something off to weaken them a little bit beforehand."
"Any ideas?" I ask the Beedrill. "We have a while to think up a performance if you'd like one."
"Spear Pillar is pretty far out of the way," Aleta intercedes. "Who knows how long it could take to get there?"
"Out of the way," Akumu echoes. "There's an idea right there. If nobody else is around I don't have to worry about hiding…" His cold blue gaze turns to me in the murk, a smile shining somewhere in the ice. "Even if they are after me, I imagine they'd get scared when you show up with a Darkrai, wouldn't they?"
"If we can manipulate it correctly." I glance backwards at where I assume Zekpoid is. "Have you remembered anything yet?"
"Dialga, Palkia…" His muttering fades as he answers my question. "No, but I can help with the performance strategy if you want me to."
Akumu leads us through a passage I didn't know existed. I'm oblivious to just about every passage, though – after all, I can't see anything in here. The terrain inside Mount Coronet is definitely rougher than I'm used to. So many hills and turns…
The team and I discuss methods of entertaining and annoying Team Galactic. It turns out to be a fun way to pass the time it takes to hike through all of these passages. I have no clue how Akumu can tell where to go, but I guess it wouldn't matter if he got lost; none of us would be able to tell, since we can't see where we're going anyway. For all we know we could be walking in circles.
Eventually my eyes begin to make out the outlines of walls, rocks, ledges… more features start to appear in my field of vision. I have no idea where the light is coming from, but I'm relieved to be able to see a little bit again. Perhaps this part of the cave is just lighter for whatever reason. Hopefully this means we're getting close to Spear Pillar.
"Do you want to go ahead?" Akumu inquires, already dropping back.
"Sure." I start looking for exits, obstacles – anything that could help me remember where we are. The path appears straight and direct; there's no sign of a fork anywhere. My legs are tired from the slope so far, but I still try to pick up the pace a little. Team Galactic could have started setting up here a long time ago, for all we know. This part of the passage is definitely an up-hill, and it winds continuously to the right like a spiral staircase. The light inside gradually brightens until I can see a white shape inside a far wall.
"The exit," I breathe, although I can't decide whether to slow down or speed up more. No matter… I practically toss myself at the hole in the wall as though it's a pane of glass, and I'm thrust into a world of ice and snow.
Wait, ice and snow? How far up did we run, anyway? I didn't think that Spear Pillar was this far away… the clouds obscuring the sky make it impossible to tell what time of day it is, or how long we spent inside the mountain. I hug my jacket against the cold as my Pokemon follow me outside.
Uma, Aleta, Searcher, Akumu, Zekpoid, Gabrias… all right, everybody is accounted for. Gabrias doesn't appear particularly happy with the temperature, though. He's already begun to shiver. I'm not surprised – he is a reptile, after all, and so he probably is cold-blooded.
Until now I had forgotten that winter was almost upon us. At this altitude and this time of year snow would be completely normal. "Let's hurry," I mutter, braving the occasional gusts of frozen precipitation.
We wind around the outside of the mountain – quickly so our feet don't freeze off – and end up inside another tunnel. Like the most recent passage, this one is relatively light, and there are no forks or mazes here, either. It's almost as though somebody carved this specifically for the purpose of getting to Spear Pillar… but Team Galactic couldn't have done this overnight. Surely Spear Pillar existed before Team Galactic ever came along…?
More curving halls of stone and darkness appear before me, end after end. They're all sloping upwards, so I guess that we're only going higher still… what could Team Galactic want with such a high altitude? Do the clouds ruin their plan or something?
This tunnel is shorter than the rest but it seems endless. I pause to check attendance. All six of my companions are here. We have to be getting close to Spear Pillar soon…
"Are we all ready to face Team Galactic?" I ask. I feel more in control somehow when I'm looking down at my Pokemon, although I'm not sure if that's a good thing.
"Ready anytime." Akumu's cold blue eyes are already as hard as ice.
Zekpoid's claws are starting to crackle with electricity again. Earlier in Mount Coronet he told us that he does remember a little bit of how to use moves, although he has no idea of what move this might be. It's strange that the electricity is blue instead of the normal yellow or white, though. "I'll be there, too."
My four Pokemon also express their agreement. Reassured, I turn and continue up the passage. Spear Pillar could show up anytime.
Another patch of grayish-white on the cave wall signals what I hope is the final exit. At the same time, though, the thought of challenging Team Galactic by myself is making me nervous. Well… technically I'm not by myself, since I have my Pokemon with me.
A firm but gentle hand rests on my shoulder. I can already guess who it is before I glance to my right. Of course, Akumu is standing there – floating there, actually. He's dropped his human disguise in advance, and I can tell why. Not only is he probably anxious for the battles to come, but he would get exhausted running up all of those hills on spindly human legs. The three-clawed hand of a Darkrai may seem horrific to others, but to me it has the same grip as a human hand. Akumu may as well be a Dark-type, but there's no reason that his existence has to be dark as well.
From behind his messy white bangs, a single ice-blue eye taking up just about his whole face glances at me reassuringly. Perhaps his eyes are as blue as eyes, but they're surely not that cold.
"You ready, Akumu?" I whisper, lending him a smile.
He has no mouth, but in his eye I can see him smile back, and he nods his graceful head, hidden behind mountainous ruby points stationed about his collarbone.
"All right, let's go."