Chapter Twenty-Five: Unity

"So Eve, what's so important that we need to talk in here about it?" Mark asked as he closed the door of Eve's room at the Ecruteak Pokémon Center. "You've seemed more distracted than ever since you arrived yesterday. Are you sure you're okay after that whole thing at the Lake of Rage?"

Eve shook her head as she sat down on her bed, taking Basil off of her shoulder and putting him on top of the aerodactyl egg; this was quickly becoming one of his favorite spots to sit. "No, that's not what's been bothering me. Well, I mean, it does bother me, but that's not the real reason why I've been distracted. The fact is, I haven't been telling you the whole truth about what Raikou, Entei, and Suicune said to me when I met them in Burned Tower."

Mark looked at her curiously for a few moments, his sightless gaze neither accusatory nor completely accepting. Then he dropped his eyes and pulled out the chair of the small wooden desk that was in Eve's lodgings. He sat down, and though he was now about even with Eve as far as height went, he kept his eyes looking off towards one side of the room. "You told me before that those legends want you to seek out five powers or something," he said, "and that Ho-oh and Lugia each possess one of these powers. To be honest, you were incoherent when you talked about all the other details, so I don't remember much more than that. So there's something else you kept hidden?"

"Yes," Eve said, her voice unregretful. Though Mark kept his eyes averted, Eve focused her gaze on Mark without even a glance at anything else. "What I said to you was true, but there's more to it than what I told you and what you remember. I would leave it unsaid, but it actually may concern you enough that you deserve to know. At least, it concerns you if you want it to. It's your choice." Here Eve paused, as if giving Mark a chance now to object and leave before anything else was said.

Instead, he leaned a little closer in his chair. "Go on," he said, his tone and expression a carefully maintained mask; Eve recognized this strict control of his emotions from his political campaigning. It was helpful whenever he wasn't quite certain what the most tactful way to react was.

Eve sighed, then continued, "The thing is, this isn't just some random quest that they chose me for. If I can collect the five 'powers' or whatever it was they were talking about, then I, uh, sort of have a lot of power. As in, enough power that Raikou and Entei sort of want me to obliterate the human race – which of course I wouldn't do, because that's just stupid. I'm just pointing out that this is the kind of power they think I would have."

Mark let his emotionless mask fall for a few moments as a smile crept across his face. "If there's anyone I'd trust with that sort of power, it's you. I can't imagine you punishing even the worst person in the world unless you had a very, very good reason."

What about the thing with the Gyarados? What would happen if you had the sort of power you speak of and then got angry? Tim asked Eve, his telepathy hardly more than a buzzing in her brain after several weeks of getting used to it. Mark knew that Tim was talking, and waited expectantly for Eve to translate; knowing that she couldn't lie her way around the tough question, she repeated it.

Mark's expression darkened. "Tim has a point. I really hadn't thought it possible until now. You getting angry, that is. If you're seeking out this power – you are seeking it out, right?" Eve nodded, so he continued, "In that case, how can you be trusted with that much power? You said yourself that it was partly because of you that those gyarados attacked."

Eve sighed again, though this time it sent her into a short coughing fit. "There's more to that, too, that I haven't told you," Eve said when she recovered, more resigned than anything. Even though she knew that Mark might resent being kept in the dark about so many things, that possibility no longer seemed to matter so much. What did matter was making sure that he would help her meet Lugia. "The reason why it was partly my fault is because I was angry at those humans, and I unconsciously used that anger to help the magikarp evolve. That's another thing the legendary beasts told me – just like Yellow could apparently heal pokémon, I can help them to evolve under the right conditions."

"That doesn't answer my question," Mark said, scowling ever so slightly as he brushed off this new revelation. "How can you be trusted with a lot of power if you can let it get out of control so easily? I don't ask it to be mean or anything, and I'm sorry if there's more you need to say and I'm interrupting you. But it's something you need to think about."

"I have been thinking about it," Eve said. "A lot. And I've been talking about it with my pokémon some – at first only with Basil," at the mention of his name Basil sparked happily, though he said nothing, "but then I later let everyone else in on the conversation. Pebble – he's my newest friend, a dratini who I met at the lake – put it the best way. He said that even if there's a large chance that evil could come out of it, I should try for it as long as there's that small chance for good. Celebi told me that pokémon and humans are unbalanced, and I've seen it plenty of times since then; if I can fix it, then I think I should at least try."

Mark stood up, flipped his chair around, then sat back down so that he could cross his arms at the top of the chair and rest his chin on them. Eve wasn't entirely sure why he would bother with it; but when she looked back at him once he was done rearranging his position, his cloudy eyes were finally looking at her again. "Perhaps not the most sound argument as far as logic goes, since it relies solely on hope," he said. "Nonetheless, it is a good reason, and I support your search for this 'power' or whatever if that's the case. But anyway, why did you feel compelled to tell me about all this? And why now?"

"I'm talking to you now because I'm going to have to take the first step of this process tomorrow night," Eve said. "I met up with Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno two days ago, with Aiden's help. We arranged to try to summon Lugia tomorrow evening. And I'm telling you because Lugia is the being of unity, and I apparently need a human who represents this quality in order to make the summons a success. I think you and Tim represent unity perfectly."

For once, Mark looked rather dumbfounded. "Wait. You mean I need to help you summon the legendary Lugia? The god that I give honor to?"

"Only if you want to," Eve added. "But yes, that's pretty much it. I don't think you need to even do anything. Best news is that Lugia seems to be pretty sympathetic, if the legendary birds are to be believed. Which they are, I think."

Will I get to come with him? Tim asked to both Basil and Eve.

"Of course you can go with him," Eve said to Tim. "I mean, you're part of the bond that I need to summon Lugia. At least, I think you are; I'm really just hoping that Yellow was right about pokémon-to-human unity. So… What do you say, Mark and Tim? I can't guarantee that it won't be dangerous – especially since Tim really should be the only pokémon you bring up with you – but I feel like I have to do it."

Eve heard a slight exhale of breath hiss between Mark's teeth as he looked at her, his expression betraying nothing of whatever deliberations were going on in his mind.

Finally, he stood up and said, "All right, I'm in so long as Tim's up for it. It might be crazy, but I'll do it. I believe in you, Eve; if you feel called to do this, then it's gotta be the right thing to do." Eve half blushed, half cringed at this comment; it sounded corny even considering the circumstances.

It should prove interesting, Tim said, so you can tell Mark that I look forward to it.

Eve translated, and Mark reached up and patted his abra on the leg. "You're just a troublemaker; you probably just want to go so you can play a trick on Lugia. Just don't get her too angry with us, okay?"

We'll see, was Tim's response as he tapped his tail against Mark's back.

"Anyway, you say it's tomorrow evening, then?" Mark asked as he moved a little closer to the door.

"Yeah."

"In that case, I'm going to head out," he said, pushing open the door out of Eve's room. "You've certainly given me a lot to think about for one evening, and since we've got more campaigning to do tomorrow, I doubt I'll have time to dwell on it then."

"Um, okay," Eve said, somewhat surprised that he had agreed so readily; for some reason, she'd half been expecting him to refuse his help. "Watch out for the weather out there… I heard it's going to keep switching between rain and sleet and snow for the rest of the night."

Mark grinned and pointed up to Tim. "Remember? I can teleport. Makes avoiding the rain pretty easy, for the most part. Anyway, as I was saying, see you later."

Eve was going to say bye when Basil suddenly jumped off of the aerodactyl egg and ran over to Mark's feet; Mark paused, already halfway out the door.

"Do you need something, Basil?" he asked.

But Basil ignored him, and instead looked up to Tim. His ears and tail were trembling; Eve hadn't noticed his anxiety during her conversation with Mark, but he obviously had something important to say now.

~Tim, could you please watch out for Eve while you're up there at the tower tomorrow night?~ Basil asked. ~She's making me and all of her other pokémon stay in Katsu's care until she gets back, and I'm worried that she'll get into trouble up there.~

Not a problem, the abra said. I think I'm fast enough that I'll be able to teleport the three of us out of danger, if it comes to that. Don't worry about it.

Mark looked back and forth from Eve to Basil for a few moments, sensing that Tim had said something but unaware of the content of the conversation. Then he shrugged and disappeared; the only sign that anyone had been there barely a second before was the open door.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"So this is it, huh?" Mark said, trying to speak over the sound of the freezing rain that was falling around them; he, Eve, and Tim had just teleported into the basement of Burned Tower.

Eve coughed, her lungs shocked by the sudden change in temperature. They had been in the pokémon center lobby until a moment ago, which had been perfectly warm despite the nasty weather outside. Tim noticed her discomfort and quickly used protect, creating a barrier of energy above the group's head to protect them from the rain; it served a double purpose in the fact that the light that the energy emitted was the only way Eve could see in the pitch dark of the basement.

"Yeah, this is it," Eve said as she recovered from the coughing fit, ignoring the light-headedness that was becoming increasingly common.

"I don't sense anyone else here, though," Mark said. "Are you sure that Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos are coming tonight?"

Eve wrapped her jacket more tightly around herself. "Yeah, I'm sure. It's just a matter of waiting. They said they'd know when I show up, and that they'd be waiting somewhere nearby so that they could come as soon as they sensed me at Burned Tower. That's why the weather's been so messed up the last couple of days, I guess." A bolt of lightning flashed through the sky as if to emphasize her point, arcing several times from cloud to cloud before making its jagged dash to the ground.

Mark was quiet for about a minute. Then he said, "So did you ever find Hope? You told me yesterday that she left Mahogany without you, right?

"We're about to talk to legendary pokémon and you're asking about Hope?" Eve asked, an incredulous look on her face. Even as sure as she was that Lugia wasn't going to hurt her, she was still rather jittery about this whole thing.

Shrugging, Mark replied, "It's better than just standing around and doing nothing. So did you find her?"

Eve shook her head, her shoulders slumping. "No, I didn't. I asked the nurses at the pokémon center if she'd checked in over the last few days, but apparently she hasn't. And she hasn't brought her pokémon into the center either… I managed to talk to Morty, too, since Hope said that she would come back to challenge him. Morty remembered who I was talking about – I mean, I guess it's kinda hard to forget someone with such a noticeable scar across her face – but she hasn't come back to challenge him. I'm really worried about her."

"Sorry to bring it up, then," Mark said. "You've got enough to worry as it is."

"The thing is, I could see her going off without bothering to tell me or Katsu," Eve said. "But she wouldn't leave her pokémon injured, since they're no use to her when they're so badly beat up. And she wouldn't say that she would come back to challenge Morty if she wasn't intending on doing just that. And I feel bad, because I should be out looking for her. I mean, what if something really bad did happen to her? What if-"

She was interrupted as she saw something bright emerge from the clouds above them and streak towards them. Two more somethings followed in its wake, only visible thanks to the first one's light.

As the trio got closer, Eve grabbed Mark's arm and pulled him out of the way; they were too far away for him to sense them. "The birds are coming," Eve explained as they moved as close to the collapsed wall as they could manage. Tim ended his protect technique as they moved; what was left of the first floor shielded them more the closer to the wall they got.

A couple of seconds after they reached the edge of the basement, the three birds alighted one after another; though there was room enough for the three of them in the large room, landing was made difficult due to the spans of their enormous wings.

~Well, we made it,~ Moltres said, his light allowing Eve to see. ~Hope we didn't take too long; we've been circling in the sky all this time as high as we possibly could to avoid notice, so it took us a little bit of time to make our way back down here.~

Articuno began preening his feathers. ~So what do we do now? Just wait for Lugia?~

"You mean you don't know how to make her come?" Eve asked, wishing that she could have a chance to translate for Mark. Then again, he seemed so engrossed in the presence of the three legendaries that Eve wasn't completely sure that he would even care to hear what they were saying.

Zapdos sparked unhappily. ~No, we're not sure, exactly. I don't sense her coming right now,~ he said. ~Are you sure that this human represents unity?~

"Well, yes, I'm certain of that," Eve replied. "Maybe it's because Tim is here… He's the abra that's with Mark. Do you think he needs to leave?"

Before this train of thought goes any farther, all of you should probably know that I'm not leaving without Mark, Tim said, his demeanor completely calm.

Mark, who could only understand Eve's parts of the conversation, also said, "If Lugia is the pokémon of unity, then I should be able to have Tim with me. Something tells me that Tim already said something of the same thing."

Moltres chirped happily. ~I suppose it's a good thing that you refuse that request, since you two are supposed to represent unity and all. Besides, I don't think making the abra leave is necessary. Zapdos and Articuno, don't you remember? I mean, it's been 150 years and all since Lugia told us what to do, but she did tell us. She said that once all the necessary beings were assembled – meaning us three plus the not-human and the human – then the not-human had to be the one who summoned her.~

~I vaguely remember that, now that you mention it,~ Articuno said, still preening his feathers. ~Okay, not-human, get to summoning. I don't have all night.~

"But how?" Eve asked. "How am I supposed to summon Lugia?"

Zapdos looked to Moltres. ~Didn't Lugia just say that she needs to focus? I sort of recall the conversation now.~

~Yeah, I think that was it. So just focus on the thought of Lugia coming here, Eve, and I think that'll do it,~ Moltres said. ~As soon as she senses the call, we'll know.~

"If I may ask, what's going on now, Eve?" Mark said.

"I guess I'm supposed to summon Lugia myself by thinking about her," Eve said. "Give me a minute… I'll go ahead and give it a try."

Eve closed her eyes, trying to block out everything aside from the thought of Lugia. However, this was harder than it seemed. She had never been a very focused individual, or so all her high school teachers had said of her. The chill of the rain didn't help her concentration, nor did the fact that almost all she could think about was that the birds, Mark, and Tim were probably all keeping their attention on her. It just felt awkward for her to stand there with her eyes closed with everyone else waiting expectantly.

Even more of a problem was the fact that she only had a vague idea of what Lugia was supposed to look like; no one had ever actually taken a photo of her, after all. Without even a solid image of her to picture in her head, trying to summon Lugia was a lost cause.

When she finally opened her eyes, she looked at Moltres and the others hopefully, believing that maybe Lugia had been summoned despite her terrible efforts. Zapdos was the one to break the news. ~Nope. Didn't work. You'll have to try again.~

"I'm not sure if I can do it," Eve said. "I just can't think of how to focus on Lugia well enough. Unless… Maybe…" She opened her hip pouch; since her pokéballs were with Katsu, it should have been empty. Yet she began to pull out several long, cylindrical pieces from the pouch, attaching them together one by one.

"Isn't that your pokéflute?" Mark asked as she finished putting the pieces together.

Eve nodded as she moved a few feet over, into a spot that was more fully protected from the rain. "Basil insisted that I take it along, since he wouldn't be there. He figured that it's my next best defense, since I know lullabies that can cause most pokémon to fall sleep. But I do know some old summoning songs as well… I figure that maybe I can focus on the melody, and since it's a summoning melody, it might bring Lugia."

~It sounds like it's worth a shot, at least,~ Zapdos said. ~Go for it.~

Eve raised the recorder-like instrument to her mouth and took a deep breath, then quickly brought it down again as she started coughing. It took a few seconds for the coughing to go away. "Well, that's embarrassing," she said to no one in particular, taking another couple of moments to catch her breath again. "Sorry about that. Guess I'll just have to take shallower breaths… Let me try again."

She closed her eyes, breathed in again, and began the song. Like most summoning pieces, it was a fairly basic and slow song that began with a simple melody. This short melody would then be repeated throughout the song with several variations. The particular song that Eve had chosen had an almost sorrowful sound to it, yet each of its individual phrases ended in a way that made her think more of hope than of sadness.

Even before the end of the first basic melody, Eve had forgotten why exactly she was playing; instead, all she had a mind for was the song itself. She hadn't played her this summoning song in a long time, and yet her fingers jumped easily from position to position; she reveled in the beauty of the rediscovered tune.

About halfway through the full piece, all of the birds perked up, though Eve didn't see because her eyes were still closed. ~You did it, Eve,~ Moltres said, her flames burning more brightly than before. ~Lugia is definitely coming now. We can feel it.~

Eve put down her pokéflute and breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad. If that didn't work, then I'm not sure what would."

~You might as well keep on playing,~ Articuno said. ~It sounded nice, and we have nothing better to do while we wait for Lugia. She's been hanging out in the Whirl Islands, so no matter how fast she flies, it might take her a while to get there.~

~Yeah, the featherbrain is right for once. You should continue the song,~ Zapdos agreed. ~I enjoyed listening to it. It used to be that there were so many pokéflute players in the world… Nowadays, I barely ever get to hear it.~

Even when there were more players, how did you get to listen to them? Tim asked. You rarely show yourselves to humans, if my understanding is correct.

Zapdos sparked, appearing amused that an abra would question him. ~That's not completely true. We're just careful about who we let see us. It's not hard to tell who's a danger and who's not, after all. We used to occasionally come down for festivals they held for us, and that's when we heard a lot of pokéflute tunes.~

~Quit talking about the past, and let's hear some music,~ Articuno said, opening his wings half way and flapping them impatiently.

Eve smiled, sort of embarrassed. "They want me to keep on playing pokéflute for them while we wait, since Lugia might take a little while to get here," she explained to Mark. "Do you mind?"

"Mind? Hardly," Mark said, a grin on his face. "I love listening to it. Please, play on."

Eve's face turned red, and she quickly brought the pokéflute to her lips to avoid answering his remark; compliments made her much too flustered to reply with any grace. She picked up her song at the spot she'd left off at. The sound of it and the motion of fingering the notes combined to ease some of the tension that had been building in Eve the last couple of days. She found it so much easier to not think about her problems while playing, making it just the sort of distraction that she needed right now.

She proceeded to play more songs after finishing the first one; it really was better than just waiting around. It was during her fifth song suddenly the weather went absolutely haywire; she barely sensed the oncoming change and put her pokéflute back in her pouch before the storm hit them with all its fury. The wind picked up, blowing so strongly that it knocked Eve to the ground despite the fact that she was a good twenty feet below ground level; lightning began to flash almost constantly, the thunder an unceasing roar that seemed to emerge from the clouds themselves; and the rain poured, the large drops hitting the ground in such a quantity that it actually competed with the thunder for dominance.

Eve pushed herself up from the ground and knelt in the ashy mud for nearly a minute as she coughed, her lungs irritated from being so suddenly slammed against the ground. As the fit continued, she felt herself swaying back and forth as her vision partially blacked out; between the coughing, the wind, and the rain, she simply couldn't get enough air into her lungs. She would have fallen to the ground again, but Mark knelt down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders just in time. Eve unconsciously pressed herself against his body, using him as a support as her coughing finally began to subside and her vision cleared.

"I'm getting you to a hospital once all this is over," Mark said in her ear, just loudly enough that she could hear him over the outrageous weather. He kept his arm tightly around her shoulders, as if unwilling to let go even now that the coughing was all but gone. "For whatever reason, you haven't wanted to get treatment, but this is going too far. Your lungs have really gotten worse since you left Ecruteak over a week ago. But for now, we have a visitor. Can you stand?"

Eve nodded, trying to save her breath for when she would really need it. Mark silently stood, his grip around Eve's shoulders tight enough to help her to her feet. Her head swam for a moment and she kept her gaze looking downwards; when her thoughts and vision cleared once again, she noticed that the rain had changed to a light sprinkle and that the wind and lightning had died down as well.

"Whenever you're ready, look up towards the surface," Mark whispered, his arm still helping to keep her standing.

Eve slowly looked up, and she gasped as her eyes fell upon the single largest pokémon that she had ever seen. She was a huge, white pokémon that perched at the edge of the ground. What had been left of the first-floor wall in front of her completely was completely demolished now, either through her own power or by the wind, allowing Eve to get a good look at as much of her body as was illuminated by Moltres's flame.

The pokémon was birdlike from what Eve could see, yet she was a bird unlike any that Eve had ever encountered. For one, her sleek feathers were pressed so tightly against her body that she appeared to be covered in skin rather than feathers. Also unusual was her tail, which she had wrapped around her talonless feet; this tail was serpentine, with two small, dark blue extensions sprouting from either side of the tip. The feathers on her wings were no different than those on her body. In fact, she appeared to have no flight feathers whatsoever, and the wings themselves ended in a wide hand-like shape. Like the tail, her neck was serpentine, and she used its length to her advantage as she bent down over the legendary birds to get a closer look at Mark and Eve.

So you are the ones who summoned me this time, Lugia said, her telepathy ringing through everyone's minds. Though the blue protrusions that surrounded her eyes gave her a fierce appearance, her demeanor was tender. It has been years since I was last summoned. If I may ask, what are your names?

Eve felt Mark trembling beside her, yet his voice was strong as he said, "My name is Mark. It is an honor to meet you."

I'm Tim, Tim said, though since he was an average pokémon, the name itself meant nothing to him.

"And I'm… I'm Eve," Eve said quietly, still relying on Mark to support her.

A gentle humming came from Lugia's throat. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mark, Tim, and Eve. If you don't mind telling me, how much do you know, Not-Human? Or do you even know that you are, indeed, not truly human?

Mark stiffened somewhat beside her, surprised by this information. Eve ignored him and took a step away from him, her legs unsteady. "Yes, I know that much," she said quietly, her throat sore from the coughing. "I know that if I go to you and four other pokémon like you and get a power from each of you, then I will have ability to destroy all humans, or all pokémon, or everyone in general. I don't know how it works, and Suicune thought it might possibly even control me if I get to that point. And I know that you represent unity, and Ho-oh represents strength… And whoever the other pokémon are, a legend I've read suggests that they represent life, death, and purpose."

Then you know much already, Lugia replied gently. But there is more you must know before we proceed. Firstly, the power I can give to you does not come without its burdens. The pull of Fate shall become even stronger as soon as you take it. You will no longer be able to ignore the call to seek the other four powers, even if you know that doing so could be fatal. With only my power, you still might be able to resist Fate, though it would forever be at the back of your mind. But if you collect more powers, Fate's grasp on you shall strengthen.

You should also know that the individual powers do nothing except enhance those qualities that they represent. Only when joined together are they fully awakened. They are the qualities of existence, those shared by both humans and pokémon. Life, death, unity, power, and purpose… These five things are what mold us into who we are. When these essences of existence are bound together, they shall open the door for one of the Great Creators, a being named Arceus. He is the one who gave me and the other guardians the powers that locked him away. He was afraid that his great power might destroy his creations, the humans. If you summon him, his power shall be funneled through you so as to keep it under control, leaving you with the choice of what it shall be used for. Do you understand all of this so far?

There were questions going through Eve's mind, but only concerning the details of what Lugia had just said. She nodded; she knew what she needed to know.

Lugia bent her head down a little closer. In that case, let me ask you: what exactly do you seek this power for?

"I've seen what pokémon and humans can do to each other," Eve said, "and I think that too much suffering and death has occurred already. I'm not sure what I'll be able to do, even with the explanation you just gave… But I feel like there's a chance I could correct it. That is why I want the power."

A contented humming rumbled through Lugia's throat once again. I am glad to hear it. I, too, am uncertain if anything could be done to truly fix it, yet I hope that such a thing is possible. Even if you sought to destroy the world itself, I am obligated to give you the power you seek. And so, I ask you now: do you seek the Power of Unity that I can give to you?

"Yes," Eve said.

Lugia closed her eyes, as if concentrating. You have brought before me Mark, a human who represents unity well. You have summoned me through his presence, as well as yours.

Unity is the thing that binds existences to one another. An individual cannot be complete except when in a larger community with others. Unity is a bond that varies in strength from that of acquaintances to that of true, sacrificial love for others. True unity gives you strength and guidance in even the darkest of trials, whereas lack of it makes it easier for the darkness to consume you. It is something that can only be broken by those who are joined by its bond, for even death cannot truly make a bond disappear. So knowing this, do you accept the power that I can give to you?

Eve was trembling now, but her voice was firm. "I do."

Lugia opened her eyes. Then have it you shall. However, it isn't something that can be hidden; you must carry it with you as a constant reminder of what you have gained. It is your choice how you wish to take it. The Not-Humans that I have given it to in the past have taken it in the form of bracelets bound forever to the skin or have had it scarred into their skin so as to be less cumbersome. Would you like one of these, or would you prefer to carry it another way?

Eve thought that a bracelet might be the best as soon as Lugia metioned it, yet she stood quiet and thought about it for a few moments; if it could never be taken off, then she wanted it to be something that wouldn't bother her.

Lugia noticed her hesitancy. She looked closer at Eve for a few moments, searching for a better idea; eventually, she asked, What is it that's in your hair? That blue strand in the braid? If I'm not mistaken, it comes from a pokémon, does it not?

"Yes. It's from a wartortle that I know," Eve said, understanding what Lugia was getting at. "Can you maybe put the symbol or whatever it is in my hair somehow? I think I would like it that way."

Yes, that is possible, Lugia said. If you would be so kind, could you let your hair down? That will make it easier to make this work.

Her hands still shaking, Eve pulled the hair band out and let her long hair fall down past her shoulders.

Lugia closed her eyes again, and a single feather seemed to detach itself from the center of her head. It glowed brightly, almost as if it were a piece of fine silver. The glowing continued as it melted into water, then quickly snaked its way through the air towards Eve. Before she could react, Eve felt it tangle itself into her hair, very close to the scalp on the left side of her head.

And so it is done. The Power of Unity is yours, and no matter how hard you or anyone else might try, it can never be taken away. Only with death shall it disappear.

Eve reached up, and she felt a feather hanging down, its smooth surface almost cool beneath Eve's fingertips. She tugged on the feather ever so slightly, but it didn't budge whatsoever; it was there to stay.

I should return to the ocean soon, Lugia continued while Eve was still fingering the feather. Is there anything else that I can tell you to aid you on your journey?

Eve brought her mind back to the matter at hand. "Yes, I think so. Can you tell me where the other Great Ones like you are, or at least who they are? I already know of Ho-oh, but I have no clue where to go after him."

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you these things. I do not know who they are, or where they live, Lugia said, hanging her neck even lower in true regret. Since the beginnings of our existences, we have avoided each other. It is all too likely that meetings between beings as powerful as us could cause devastation. I know only of Ho-oh, due to the proximity of our roosts. There is another who aided him 150 years ago when this tower burned to the ground, but I know not where he is.

However, I can tell you that each has been bound to a certain place in the world, and they can only be summoned to that certain place. So it has been since the beginning of time. However hidden they may be, you might be able to find these places. I cannot guarantee that all will be like the towers of Ho-oh and I, though; the others may be more reclusive, and perhaps they never allowed any sort of shrine or honor be built in their names.

"I see…" Eve said. "Then next… Is there any possible way that you can help me with Ho-oh? I'm… I'm afraid that I won't make it out of my meeting with him alive, yet he's the only one I know of that I can go to next."

Lugia let out a great breath, halfway between a sigh and a moan. Ho-oh… Alas, I understand the danger, yet I fear entering into conflict with any of the Great Ones. You must face him alone. He is not impossible to defeat, however, and I sense that you already have someone sympathetic to your cause in the form of Suicune. I have never spoken with her, but I know of her… She can aid you. I also suggest you bring any friendly pokémon who would be willing to aid you. While unneeded humans are banned from the summonings, you may bring as many pokémon as you want with you.

Eve still worried that it would be impossible without Lugia's help, yet she knew that she couldn't convince the legend any other way. "I have one last question, and this I ask for Suicune's sake. Why didn't you come when you were summoned that day 150 years ago? Or did they even have a chance to summon you before the tower was struck with lightning and burned to the ground?"

Lugia suddenly jerked upright, as if physically hurt by the question. I was coming… Truly, I was coming. I wasn't nearby, though, and Ho-oh and his friend were. I didn't arrive until the tower was already engulfed in flame. I was the one who brought the rain that ended the fire; I only wish I could have arrived earlier, to defend those who had come to me.

"Thank you for telling me. I think Suicune will be glad to hear that you were indeed coming."

So do you have any more questions? Eve shook her head. How about you, Tim and Mark? You have been silent this whole time.

Mark bowed slightly. "It is honor enough to meet you face to face," he said. "But there is one thing I would ask, if you don't mind. The humans that worship you and the humans that worship Ho-oh wish to combine the two religions… Is this something that should happen? I have always found Ho-oh's religion rather base in its blind search for power."

It is indeed something that should happen. It is one of the best things that can happen, for those who seek the truth, Lugia said. Life, death, purpose, unity, power… They are all interconnected. If one could look at them all with true understanding, then they would see how purity of the knowledge of one leads to true knowledge of the others. Even life and death rely heavily on each other, though they may at first seem in opposition.

Now, unless you have any more questions, I must go. It shall not be long until morning, and I should leave before I am seen. I think the storm has shrouded me from view until now. I thank you for having the courage to seek me out, and I give you my blessing on your journey.

"Thank you. I think I'll need it," Eve said.

The gentle humming noise rose in her throat as a response. Then, without warning, she opened her wings and flapped them once, launching herself into the clouds. The storm responded, suddenly gusting and raining with even more fury than when Lugia had first arrived. Not prepared for the sudden change and already weak, Eve was flung backwards once again; this time, Mark caught her before she could fall to the ground.

When Eve looked up again, squinting against the wind and rain, she saw that the legendary birds had taken flight as well. She stood up again with Mark's help as the storm reverted back to the cold but calm rain of the last few days.

"Shall we go?" Mark asked.

Eve was about to respond, but something told her that she needed to stay for a moment longer. She fingered her feather, wondering if it was perhaps to blame for the sudden instinct.

"Let's wait just a moment longer," Eve said. "I think that maybe-"

Three shapes suddenly bounded into the basement, so fast that they were blurs until they came to a stop. Raikou, Entei, and Suicune had arrived.

Entei looked like he was going to launch into a speech or a question, but Eve ignored him and quickly walked towards Suicune, stopping barely a foot in front of her face. "Suicune… I just wanted to let you know that Lugia was coming to the summons of Yellow and your trainer. She just couldn't make it in time. She seemed very sad that she couldn't get there quickly enough to help you."

Suicune was stunned for a moment, and she looked down to the ground. Eve could practically feel happiness flowing from her. ~Thank you, Eve. It's good to know that we wouldn't have gone there in vain… Good to know that my trainer and I didn't die completely without need.~

~We have more important things to talk about than the past,~ Entei said, puffing out smoke from his mouth impatiently. ~Have you changed your mind yet? About who deserves to feel the force of the power you can gain.~

Eve looked over to Entei, and for a second she considered lying so as to get him to help her summon Ho-oh without killing her first. Yet she knew that her act would be practically transparent, so she instead replied, "No, I haven't changed my mind. I'm not destroying anyone, be they human or pokémon."

~Then this is what I believe that you should know,~ Entei said. ~It took me a long time to prove it, but I now know it to be true. You see, even in the time when pokémon and humans were most in balance – when pokéballs were available, but so hard to make that most people could have only one – even then there was injustice. The pokéball manipulates pokémon's thoughts. When changed into the pure form of energy, pokémon become more malleable in their thoughts and feelings. Since they are constantly carried around while in this form by humans, their thoughts are forced towards that of obligation to their trainer. That is why pokémon almost always follow their trainers' orders; because they cannot think to do anything else, even if they hate their trainer. You think that pokémon and humans can live in harmony, but the fact is that they cannot.~

"But most pokémon like their trainers," Eve argued. "Surely they-"

~But how many are willingly captured by trainers? How many are forced away from their wild family and friends and pushed against their will into a harsh training regimen? Does it make sense that so many would come to appreciate becoming stronger at the cost of everything they've known and loved?~

Eve bit her lip. The truth was, there were very few wild pokémon that she had met who would ever truly accept being a trainer's pokémon. And it was also truth that all of the captured pokémon she had met never disagreed with their trainer's commands, despite the fact that they had probably once detested trainers just as much as all other wild pokémon. Unconsciously seeking an example, her thoughts flashed briefly to the first time she had met Katsu. In that battle, Katsu had laughed at his own pokémon becoming poisoned. Totodile and Snivy wanted to get stronger, of course; but if what Entei was saying was true, then how much of that desire came from Katsu himself? Even though they seemed content, could that sort of happiness be true if it was due only to manipulation?

Entei stood a little straighter, a smug look in his eyes as he realized that Eve was coming to believe what he had said. ~This is what happened to me. When I was a flareon, my trainer beat me and put me into impossible battles to force me to become stronger. Though I'd never cared about strength before, I came to reason that I should endure his training because it really would help me become stronger. I would have defended my trainer to the death at that time, yet now that I am no longer carried in his pokéball, I hate him with all my being. Do you hope to have a world like that? Where happiness comes from one race unwittingly serving another?~

Scowling, Eve forced her indecision away. "No. I don't intend to have a world like that. I hope to create a world with true balance. No matter what you say, no race deserves to be wiped out."

Raikou advanced a few steps, sparks flying from him. ~But such a world is not possible. Humans will always seek to gain dominance; it is in their nature. If you continue to deny it,~ he moved several steps closer, ~then we cannot allow you to live. There is too much of a risk that you might one day be successful in attempting to create the world you envision.~

Suicune moved herself in between Eve and Raikou, her movements both graceful and tense. At the same time, Eve suddenly felt Mark's hand on her shoulder, and then found herself teleported even farther away from the legendary trio.

"If we need a quick escape, Tim will help us away," Mark whispered.

Eve didn't hear him. She was listening to the legendary beasts. ~I will not allow you to hurt Eve,~ Suicune was saying. ~There is a better way. Give Eve time to think on what has been said here, and give her time to seek out the human that she needs to summon Ho-oh. Perhaps she will change her mind. If not… Then this fight will happen then.~

~I don't like it,~ Entei growled, advancing as well. ~However, I am hopeful that the Not-Human might see the error of her ways. Raikou?~

Raikou growled as well, but he backed away slightly. ~I, too, have hope that she might realize the truth. Very well, Suicune; we shall bite back our rage until a later time.~

Suicune bowed her head. ~Thank you, brothers.~ Then, turning to Eve, she said, ~Whenever you are ready, all you need to do is whisper my name to the wind. I shall come wherever you are, and I shall bring my brothers. But do not wait too long; Raikou and Entei are impatient. Until then… Farewell, and thank you again.~

She leaped out of the basement, probably hoping that it would be best to end the conversation quickly. Entei and Raikou looked at Eve one last time, and Entei growled, ~Remember to think on what I have said. We do not wish to kill you, but we will do what we must. Farewell.~ And with that, he and Raikou leaped away as well.

Eve looked at where they had been standing for a few more seconds. "Is everything all right?" Mark asked after a while, deciding to break the silence.

In response, Eve collapsed to her knees and looked down at the ground. "Then there's no way around it," she whispered to herself. "They're going to kill me." Then she slipped into unconsciousness and fell forward into the mud, the stress too much for her already weakened body to bear.

I love Lugia. ^_^

Anyway, the first of the five powers has been obtained... And what do you know, it only took 25 chapters to get to this point. 25 quite lengthy chapters, at that...

Just want to let you all know that I might skip a week sometime soon... Hopefully not (but possibly) next week, but we'll just see... The thing is, I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up. So for at least my first time lagging behind, I'll just skip the week rather than get off of the Thursday schedule. Just an FYI to all of you.

So thanks for reading! And... I'm going to ask this again, even though I haven't for several chapters... PLEASE REVIEW! Really, it's much appreciated. I know that there are AT LEAST twenty people who have invested time reading this story and who haven't reviewed... To be honest, I'd just really like to hear from you. So, uh, yeah. Review. Please?