Back to the main story, folks, where more will be revealed about the importance of the Shards.
Not to mention… we finally get to meet the Guardians! Do they indeed know of the crises that have been conspiring in the world at large?
Transmorphic Wyvern: I'm beginning to think I'm blessed with immortality, because every time you review, I die laughing.
-.-.-.-.-.
Everyone gathered on the deck of the Windchaser exchanged confused looks as they waited for Team Bloodsucker to arrive. The trio had instructed them to meet them on the deck, as they had something of importance to inform them about, but none of them had any idea in the slightest as to what this was all about.
Suddenly, the members of Team Bloodsucker appeared from below deck. Burner went first, followed by Drain, and then Tesla brought up the rear. She appeared to be holding something in her claws – at first glance it looked like just a bundle of webbing, but upon closer examination, it seemed to be a small Pokemon trapped in a bundle of webbing.
The three bugs took their positions in front of their passengers. Tesla held up the struggling Pokemon, which everyone could now see was a Purrloin. She couldn't talk or move due to the silk covering almost her entire body, but either way no one could ever recall seeing her before.
"As you can see," Burner began, pointing a leg at the Dark-type, "we have an unexpected guest aboard the Windchaser. We caught this little rascal sneaking around, eavesdropping on our conversations. We have reason to believe that she was planted on this ship as a spy."
The Purrloin gave a muffled reply and struggled even harder. Tesla sighed and tore off the webbing covering her mouth. Instantly, the Purrloin said desperately, "OK, OK, you got me! I'm part of the Life Stealers! Happy now?!"
Drain took note of the befuddled looks of the other Pokemon. The Pendrula stepped forward and explained, "The Life Stealers are another gang of criminals that dwell in the Dunedust Desert, if you'll pardon the alliteration. They are allied with the Darkfeather gang, which we are all well acquainted with, and are as well searching for the Shards."
Gaby and Luke both frowned at this. Pteryx squawked loudly, "Ya mean that this here pipsqueak is partners with that moron Rudy the Krokorok?" Burner nodded, knowing the Pokemon that Pteryx spoke of well.
"Yes, that's true," the Purrloin sighed, apparently giving up her struggles. "I'm Shadepelt, and yes, I'm partners with Rudy. I was, as Team Bloodsucker said, planted on this ship as a spy to keep tabs on that Kirlia there," she added, gesturing with her head at Gaby.
"However," Shadepelt continued, "I'm sick and tired of the Life Stealers! All we did was run around looking for these mythical stones that might not even exist, and all we did was fail miserably at it! That's why I want to come with you to the Guardians' secret island and tell them everything they need to know to beat the Life Stealers."
Her outburst got mixed reactions from the onlookers – mostly skepticism, but a few such as Tortuga and Burner looked very interested. "Are you seriously considering what she's saying?" Drain asked his leader incredulously. "She's a Dark-type, remember? It's just a ploy to earn our trust for her own malicious purposes!"
The Moskeeteor pointed out, "You're a Dark-type as well, Drain. But you also have a very good point – no matter what this one says, we shouldn't trust her."
Shadepelt nodded her head and squirmed uncomfortably in her little cocoon. "That's smart of you," she said with a grimace. "I probably wouldn't believe me either." Burner silenced her with a glare and turned to address the group of Pokemon in front of him.
"As the leader of a very experienced rescue team," he stated clearly, "I see no harm in allowing this Purrloin to join us for the time being." There were several gasps and mutterings, and he continued in a raised voice, "However, you must not reveal anything, no matter how small, to her – as Drain said, she may be trying to earn our trust for her own advantage."
Everyone nodded as one, although Cobalt took a moment to consider before cautiously adding his consent. Burner then gestured to Tesla, who used her claw to slice through the remaining webbing, allowing Shadepelt to go free. "Argh, pins and needles…" she muttered with a wince, stretching out her limbs and trying to get the blood circulating through them again.
"Remember," Burner cautioned, and his warning was picked up by his two teammates. "Don't trust her," they said in unison.
"Are you kidding?" Cobalt piped up. "I trust her about as far as I can throw this boat." Pteryx, Gaby, and Team Eevui all nodded with agreement. Shadepelt just sighed miserably.
The price of being a criminal, she thought to herself. It'll take a lot of work to get these folks to trust me.
-.-.-.-.-.
The doors to the chamber burst open, allowing light to flood the otherwise dim room. The Jirachi flinched badly at the sudden noise, looking up from his study of the map of the continent on his desk. Team Sunburst was there, all looking out of breath, sweaty (only in their leader's case – reptiles don't sweat after all), and very, very troubled.
"What is it?" the young Legendary asked, tilting his head in confusion. The Espeon leader took a few seconds to catch her breath before gasping, "My King… the Shards… two have been taken…"
The Jirachi sighed – if he had to have a reason to hate being the King of the Guardians, then it was for that stupid title itself. "Please, Grace. I beg you, call me Stellar," he said wearily, having said this a million times before. "And what's this about the Shards? Two have been found already? That's great news!"
Grace shook her head, and the Tyranitar behind her stepped forth. "It ain't good at all, sir," he rumbled. "It warn't the Discoverers who found 'em. It was the darned Darkfeathers and Raiders."
Stellar gasped and fell out of the air from his levitating position. He landed on the ground with a soft *thud*, and picked himself up shakily. "Wh-what was that again, Rex?" he asked with a nervous grin. "I must still have water in my ears from my bath earlier today. What did you say?"
Rex growled and took a heavy step forward, about to yell at the young King, but his Serperior companion closed his mouth with his tail. "That is enough, Rex," he said softly. "No need to go running your big mouth when it will only get you into trouble."
The Tyranitar was outraged, slapping the tail away and opening his mouth again, but Grace made a sound between a sigh and a growl and slammed Rex's mouth closed with Psychic. "Would you please stop this idiotic bickering?" she demanded angrily. "We're supposed to be a Platinum-ranked rescue team, and the two of you are acting like a bunch of rookies!"
The Serperior slithered forward and bowed his head humbly as he addressed the still-shocked-and-slightly-amused Jirachi. The two were very close friends, having known each other since the serpentine Pokemon was just a child, but that was no reason to throw common courtesy out the window.
"Dearest Stellar," he began, "what my inconsiderate comrade means to say is that it was not the Discoverers who found their Shards. Well, technically they did, but they were both taken by the leaders of the Abyssal Raiders and Darkfeather gang."
Stellar gulped. "I was kind of hoping that you guys were kidding, Basil," he quavered. "This is terrible! I-if they get their hands – claws, wings, tentacles, whatever! – on the other Shards, we're all doomed! They'll rip the world apart and then create a new one, one of chaos and disorder and evil and…"
The Jirachi took a long, gasping breath in order to calm himself down. Stellar was hundreds of years old, but still only a child. He wasn't fully confident in his abilities as King of the Guardians, or even a simple leader, and was prone to panic attacks. That's why he always kept Team Sunburst as his closest advisors – although the fact that they were the best rescue team on the island helped as well.
But now, Stellar floated back into the air and tried his best to look like a leader. "Basil, you check on all the other rescue teams – call a meeting if you have to – and tell them this dreadful news. Rex, you make sure that this island's location remains a strict secret. It is more important then ever for us to be hidden from those villains."
Basil and Rex both nodded and exited the chamber, closing the doors behind them and throwing the room into darkness once more.
"What about me?" Grace asked, eyes quickly adjusting to the dimmer light. Stellar floated back over to the far wall, where there was a mural carved into the wood – five Shards floating around a pair of Pokemon, one resembling a Sawsbuck and the other looking like a mutant Mandibuzz.
"You stay here with me," the Jirachi said, looking back at the Espeon. "We need some time together to talk." Grace nodded loyally and stepped up beside her friend, examining the mural alongside him. Underneath the picture was an ancient recitation, said to have come from Arceus himself:
The five Shards,
Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Life,
Keep the Embodiments of Good and Evil in balance.
One day the Shards will become scattered,
And Xerneas and Yveltal will be released.
The Legendaries will sleep the sleep of shadows,
And do nothing to help as Good and Evil clash,
And natural disasters batter the land.
Those who control the Shards,
Control Xerneas and Yveltal,
And thus the fate of the world will be in their hands.
The Discoverers are destined to wield the Shards,
And reunite them so the Legendaries may awaken once more.
As far as ancient prophecies went, it was pretty straightforward. However, there was indeed some mystery in the recitation – not even Stellar knew anything about Xerneas and Yveltal or what kind of Pokemon they were. And then there was the part that read "The Legendaries will sleep the sleep of shadows". Did that mean death? Or simply an enchanted slumber?
"My Ki – Stellar," Grace said quietly, "I do not like the way things are turning out. The Shards are crying out in pain and fear. The rescue teams and explorers are all uneasy – all of them feel that something is wrong in this world."
The Jirachi chuckled and replied, "Yes, we all know that there is something terribly wrong. The Shards are supposed to be united if the world is to be kept in balance. And thanks to your ability to hear their voices, we already know a great deal more than others. Who knows what would happen if you couldn't do so, and us Guardians were left in the dark about all this?"
The Espeon thought about this, and decided that the child King had a point. If she wasn't able to hear the Shards' voices, then she wouldn't have known that the Darkfeathers and Abyssal Raiders had found two of them already. And that would most definitely be disastrous.
"My friend," said Stellar, thinking as he spoke, "could I ask you something?" When she nodded, he went on cautiously, "I really think we ought to do something about this, but the only problem is that I can't think of anything to do. We need to find the Discoverers – I know the Abyssal Raiders caught one, and Team Knights hasn't come back from their rescue mission of him… but where are the others? How do we figure out where they are?"
Grace allowed a smile to crease her face. "Well, thanks to my ability to hear the Shard's voices, I already know the name of two of them – one of which is the same one Team Knights went to go find."
The Jirachi looked at her and seemed to deflate with relief. "Really? That makes my job so much easier!" he exclaimed. "Who are they?"
Thinking back to the Shards' pleas for help that she had overheard, Grace replied, "The one held prisoner by the Raiders is named Cliff. The other is Gaby." Stellar raised his eyebrows at this. "Gaby?" he asked. "As in Lancelot's daughter?"
Grace smiled again and nodded. "Yes, she's the one, I believe," she said, and the King slapped a hand into his open palm. "Well then, there isn't any time to lose!" he announced. "Grace, I need you to help Basil and Rex with their tasks, and when everything is under control, inform Team Sand Dragons that they need to head to Seaside Village and find Adrianna and Gaby."
The Espeon bowed, stopping midway when she caught Stellar's annoyed look. "Sorry, Stellar," she said apologetically. "I'll go tell Rex and Basil right now, and then I'll go find Team Sand Dragons. They didn't take any jobs from the Bulletin Board today, so I think they're somewhere on the island."
Stellar smiled and hugged Grace around the neck. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "You're the greatest." The Espeon raised a paw and hugged him gently back, before pushing him away and bounding through the doors, which she opened with Psychic. An instant later, the doors were closed again.
The Jirachi stared after her for a second before floating back into his chair and pulling out his map again. Two Shards have been taken! he thought, the realization swirling around his head over and over again. I need to make a plan to get them back, before they're all gone and the world's fate is resting in the hands of our mortal enemies!
-.-.-.-.-.
"Don't worry. My teammates and I are going to inform the other rescue teams about this as well. Just don't panic and be prepared to help in any way you can." The Azurill nodded to show he understood, and then hopped off. Basil watched him go join his rescue teammates, then slithered off to the next hut.
The Guardians' island was tropical and dominated by huge, twisting trees. Because the trees' branches easily reached their neighbors', it was easy to move from one tree to another. An entire town had been built in these trees, and this was where all the rescue teams lived their lives.
The biggest tree was in the center of the grove, and in its gigantic hollow was where the Bulletin Board and various shops were located. It could be considered the "town square" of the island. Also in this huge tree was where the King and his closest advisors lived and met.
In the other trees were many platforms and huts, which was where the hundreds of other rescue teams lived. Down on the ground were more huts, which belonged to rescue teams who seldom stopped by the island and lived elsewhere. Then there were the docks, where many boats were anchored. Together, all these components helped to create a developed society known only to the rescue teams.
The Serperior knocked on the door of the hut he had approached, which was on a lower platform than the previous one. In the back of his mind, he marveled at the design of the platforms, which wrapped around the trees, often dipping and rising repeatedly to cover as much of the trunk as possible.
The door opened, and the Pokemon who answered was none other than the leader of Team Sand Dragons. The Flygon blinked in surprise before opening into a warm smile. "Basil, what brings you here?" he asked, gesturing for the Serperior to come in.
But Basil shook his head and replied, "There isn't any time for that, Junpei. I've come to deliver a message to you – the Abyssal Raiders and Darkfeathers have gotten two of the Shards."
Junpei jumped back as if he had been scalded. "They… what?" he stammered. "I'm an optimistic guy, but… no good can come of that!"
Basil nodded wisely. "I'm glad to see you understand the importance of this situation," he said. "I was only stopping by to deliver this message – pass it on to Eugene and Terence, and be prepared to help when needed. Alright?"
The Flygon responded, "Yes, yes, of course! You can count on this rescue team to help. We'll always be ready." The Serperior smiled with satisfaction and began to back away from the door. "Thank you," he said. "Take care."
But before Junpei could shut the door, there came an urgent cry from the next platform. "Waaaaiiiit!" it called – it was Grace. Instead of walking or even running down the steps, she jumped down from her platform onto Team Sand Dragons'. Basil blinked, eyes widening. He hadn't expected this.
"What in Arceus' name, Grace?" he exclaimed, stunned. "What could possibly be the big rush?" The Espeon didn't answer right away – instead, she panted for a bit before turning to a shocked Junpei.
"I… have a… mission for you… from the King," she gasped. Hearing this, Junpei lost his shocked expression and switched to a curious one. "Alright, I'm always up for an adventure," he replied with his usual cheerful grin. "What does he want us Sand Dragons to do?"
Grace shook herself and stood up straight. "The King wants you, Eugene, and Terence to head to Seaside Village to retrieve Lancelot's family. His daughter's a Discoverer."
The reply she got came from neither Basil nor Junpei, who only looked at her with completely startled expressions. Instead, a voice boomed from behind the Flygon, "What?! That little Kirlia's a Discoverer? Well, I'll be a Mankey's uncle!"
Eugene shoved Junpei out of the threshold so he could get past the door. The Garchomp folded his arms and looked at Grace amusedly. "Can that be true?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course it is!" cried another voice, and Terence slithered out from the hut to "stand" beside his comrades. The Terralyrk was a hideous blend of worm, leech, and dragon, with dark green crystals growing all along his body. He now glared at Eugene and continued, "Grace can hear the voices of the Shards! And even if she couldn't, you think she'd lie about this?"
The Garchomp growled as Junpei hastily stepped between them in case a fight broke out. "I guess you're right," he said apologetically. "Sorry for doubting you, Grace." The Espeon just shrugged.
There was a brief moment where no one said nor did anything. "Well?" Junpei finally said, adjusting his scarf – it was bright red, and pinned to it was a gold medallion in the shape of a dragon-shaped flame. "Let's go, Sand Dragons! We have a Gardevoir, Kirlia, and Ralts to pick up in Seaside Village!"
-.-.-.-.-.
Team Sunburst belongs to TriMaplenut. Junpei belongs to Ins4ne Gam3r and the others of Team Sand Dragons belong to me. Stellar belongs to me as well.
So, the Guardians make an appearance! It seems as if they're quite on top of things, and are doing their best to preserve their secrecy so trouble doesn't come to their shores. But because of this, will Barn, Elf, and all of the others ever find them?
Review please, and see you for the next chapter! (And make sure to check my Deviantart account for a picture of Terence!)
Chapter Question #10: Does this chapter clear anything up? Or does it just create more mysteries to be solved?