Chapter 14

"She's alive. The surgery was a success."

"She sure doesn't look alive."

"You should have thought of that before ending out your seviper. You've heard how pokemon act around her. You should have taken that into consideration."

"I didn't think my pokemon would take it to such lengths to kill her. I merely wanted to poison her enough to knock her unconscious. We got her anyway, that's all that should really matter."

"You said you sunk the ship? How did that happen with only you on board?"

"It wasn't me. The storm took the ship as its' own. You know how the sea can be. Just utterly marvelous."

"And the people on board?"

"Why should they matter? We got what we came for, the rest of them don't matter." Silence. "When will she wake? I need to see this for myself."

"In due time, sir. In due time."

I waited a long while. It took forever for them to babble on about how marvelous the sea was, how they still had to count the amount of grunts that had sustained injuries from the battle on the ship, and so forth. They had no information on Steven, Brendan, or Mr. Briney for me to tap into. I lie on the operating table, still as a statue, breathing only as needed. I could feel the red and blue orbs pulsing in my chest. They were restless. I wouldn't be able to sit still for much longer. I wanted to run, to find my pokemon, to find my friends.

Finally, the two of them left. The second they shut the door I opened my eyes and sat up. The tubes they had attached to me I tore out and threw on the ground. I observed the room. We were in a cave of some sort. It looked like they had set up shop here temporarily because everything was on wheels and powered by mobile batteries. There was no visible way out other than the door that the two men had obviously exited from. I looked down at myself.

They seriously put me in a Team Aqua outfit. Was that all they had? Seriously? I was tempted to rip it off, but it was this or nothing. I adjusted the skirt and midriff shirt before creeping up on the makeshift door they had put to cover the pathway out. I turned the handle slowly, ever so slowly, so slow that it didn't even look like it was moving. By the time I could push it open and peek through, I realized that there was no one nearby. I opened it quickly and shut it quietly behind me.

There were two ways I could travel towards: to the left and down some stairs, or forward and down a pathway that branched to the right. I considered going forward because delving deeper into this cave's depths seemed idiotic. But by the time I had decided, two aqua grunts were appearing from that hallway. I quickly darted to the left, hastily making my way down the stairs. By the time I entered the dark room, they had gone silent. Were there going into the room I had escaped from? If so, were they going to go looking for me?

I turned towards the path. There was a stairway up ahead of me. It rose about five feet before coming to a dead end. The wall that made up the dead end was no ordinary cave wall. It was a well-preserved, timeless piece of history. Depicted on the wall by ancient humans was the fearsome battle between Kyogre and Groudon. Above them was the mighty Rayquaza, a snake-like being with thunder as his ally. Yet for some reason, these three pokemon were not the same ones I had read about. These versions of Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza looked more powerful. They were glowing brightly and had odd markings on them that were not there before. It was like they evolved into something greater.

"Primal evolution."

I spun on my heel to look behind me. There stood a man who was more muscle than person. He wore Team Aqua gear, but like Maxie's, it had more time and effort put into it. He had a scraggly beard and a bandana masking the top of his head. Painted across his face was an X in black ink. It was clear that this was the leader of Team Aqua.

"There is not many places to hide here in Granite Cave, Mew." He began to ascend the stairs. I held out my hands, ready to fight, but he held up a hand. "I am no match for you now that I have implanted the blue orb inside your chest. I mean not to fight you, but to talk."

"If you want me to join the side of Kyogre, you are sadly mistaken," I told him straight off. He nodded and continued up the stairs.

"That is impossible with the red orb also in your chest. It appears Maxie beat us to you." I stared at him. "I forgot to introduce myself. I am Archie, leader of Team Aqua. I have to say, our colors look good on you."

"I prefer my old clothes." He snorted softly.

"Then you prefer clothes soaked in blood and poison." He bowed slightly. "I am sorry for the unnecessary attack my seviper performed. I did not know the bloodlust pokemon have for you was so powerful. The only way to revive you was to place the blue orb in your chest."

"I know that was not the first thought you had, Archie," I countered. "I know you only want the blue orb in my chest to even yourself with Maxie. The fact that I was revived was sheer luck." He straightened himself.

"I see you are well-informed," he complimented. "Don't think of Team Aqua in a competition against Team Magma. We are only here to establish balance, like you said." He turned to the primitive painting. "For without balance, this world would have not been created."

"Groudon and Kyogre fighting does not sound like much balance to me."

"That is not balanced, I agree, Mew." He paused. "To balance two, there must be one." He gestured higher up in the painting, where Rayquaza flew. "For every two, there must be one to lead. For every group larger than that, there must be a leader. I am only a follower. You are a leader." There was a silence between the two of us.

"You said primal evolution," I reminded.

"Do you know what a mega evolution is?" Archie asked.

"I've heard of it. It was discovered in Kalos not too long ago."

"You are right." He put his hands behind his back, pondering. "For long, we thought that no pokemon could evolve into more than three different forms. We were proved wrong when several odd stones were found. They reacted to fully evolved pokemon and transformed them into such powerful pokemon, that history was made. People scoured the Earth in search of where these had come from, hoping to bring great strength to their pokemon. When several had been found, they looked to the source." He looked to the painting. "This ancient mystery was not here until the day the first mega stone appeared. It appears, that in some way and how, even legendary pokemon can mega evolve. But it is named differently: primal evolution."

"You're revealing a lot to your enemy," I whispered. He closed his eyes.

"I see you not as an enemy, Mew. I see you as a leader. I've heard of your potential, your past, and much more. You are no ordinary girl." He glanced at me sideways. "And you somehow came to that conclusion recently, have you not?" I didn't reply. "In other words, you have become somewhat of a god now that both orbs have been connected to your soul." If only he knew, I told myself quietly. "I wish to follow you into battle when the time arises. I'm not asking for you to answer now, but I ask that you consider my offer."

"Where are my friends?" I asked. "I need to find them."

"The last I saw the champion and your friend, they were jumping from the boat you were on as it sunk into the sea. A stray wave took the portside and knocked it under the surface like it was a toy." I waited for him to continue. "It was near this island, so I assume they are here, if not the many smaller islands nearby. The sailor found his way to shore this morning. He's staying at the pokemon center."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Only for a night."

"You're not going to stop me from leaving?" He shook his head. "You're a lot different than Maxie."

"I've heard that before. It doesn't make sense to compare totally different people, but I get the concept." He started down the stairs. "Follow me, I will show you to the exit."

He was true to his word. As soon as we exited the cave and stepped out into the light of day, he began to head back inside.

"Why do you think I should listen to you?" I asked, halting him.

"I could be lying, I could not." He glanced over his shoulder. "But it is up to you what action you take." Then he disappeared into the cave. I stood there for a short while, pondering. Then sense got the best of me and I started off towards Dewford. If what he said was right, MR. Briney would still be at the pokemon center.

Hopefully Steven and Brendan would be there, too.

Mew Arrived In Dewford Town!

Saving Game…

Game Saved!