Pokemon True Emerald
by Exdeathmore
Chapter 25: The Tower of Mirage
"Ahh, this really hits the spot!" May said as she soaked in the hot springs behind the Lavaridge Town Pokemon Center, sitting next to Flannery.
"Yeah," Flannery said, "it's even better with friends! We are friends, right?"
"Of course!" May giggled and smiled at Flannery.
"So, May, where are you headed after this?"
"That's a really good question..." May closed her eyes as she slowly sank into the water, thinking deeply. "...I guess it's finally time to go back to Petalburg City."
"Petalburg? Isn't that where the new Gym Leader is?"
"Yeah. More importantly, that Gym Leader is my dad!"
"Your what! ?" Flannery gasped, jumping up. "Your dad's a Gym Leader? No wonder you were such a tough opponent!"
"That has nothing to do with anything! I'm not going to let my dad's position decide what kind of Trainer I'll be, just like how you shouldn't let your grandfather's history decide things for you!"
"Sorry, you're right." Flannery sat back down. "So, what kind of Trainer is he?"
"Well, he's... really, really tough! I challenged him to a quick battle around the time I started travelling, and he completely stomped me. Now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if I'll be ready for a real Gym match against him..."
"Hmm... I think I might be able to help with that!" Flannery took May's hand and pulled her out of the water. "Let's go back to the Gym. I've got something for you!"
After changing back into their clothes, Flannery brought May to the front of the Lavaridge Gym as she stepped inside. After a few minutes of waiting, Flannery came back out, holding a pair of goggles.
"What's that?" May asked, pointing at the goggles.
"These were my grandfather's Go-Goggles," Flannery explained. "I remember from when I was a kid that he went out of town a lot to train in the desert nearby."
"Desert? What desert?"
"There's a valley on Route 111, close to the cable car station. The winds blowing through there create a constant sandstorm, making it hard for people to pass through it."
"Oh, so that's what that place was..." May remembered the powerful winds all too well.
"These should let you see through the sandstorm, and training there should toughen up your Pokemon!" Flannery handed the Go-Goggles to May.
"Are you sure I can have these?"
"My grandfather's retired, so he doesn't really need them for training anymore. I'm sure he won't mind!"
"Wow, thanks!" May slipped the goggles around her neck. "Kinda stylish, too! I like it! I'll head to the desert right now and start training!"
"Oh, before you go, do you have a PokeNav?" Flannery reached into her pocket and pulled out her own PokeNav. "Is it okay if I register you?"
"Sure!" May took out her PokeNav and the two registered eachother. "There, all done! Thanks again, Flannery!" The two shook hands and waved goodbye to eachother as May headed back up the mountain path, back to the cable car station.
After riding the cable car back down to the base of Mt. Chimney, May followed the path back to the infamous fork that impeded her before.
"All right sandstorm, do your worst!" May put the Go-Goggles over her eyes and stepped into the valley. She felt the blowing wind intensify the further she went in, and before long, she was blasted by sand. This time, however, she didn't have to worry about being blinded, as the particles bounced of the tinted lens of her goggles. "This is a piece of cake, now!" May laughed as she made her way through the valley. On the other end, she saw an expansive desert, surrounded by tall, rocky formations. "Come on out, everyone!" She released all of her Pokemon from their Balls, and everyone except Lairon cringed from the sandstorm.
"We need to get some serious training done!" May said to them. "We need to make sure we're in top condition before we challenge my dad to a Gym match!" Combusken remembered his crushing defeat to Norman's Zangoose, and let out a loud squawk while throwing a few punches into the air. "That's the spirit, Combusken! Let's have a few sparring battles in this storm to toughen up! Who wants to go first?" All of May's Pokemon spoke up, wanting to volunteer. "Okay, how about Combusken and Plusle go first?" Combusken and Plusle cheered, but Poochyena whimpered a little, looking at May. "Don't worry, Poochyena, you'll get a chance to battle Combusken. Until then, just sit here and watch with the rest of us!" Combusken and Plusle faced off while May and her other Pokemon stood nearby. Poochyena and Skitty huddled behind Lairon to shield themselves from the storm, while Tentacruel stood silently.
"Combusken, Peck! Plusle, Quick Attack!" May shouted. Combusken charged at Plusle, jabbing at her with his beak. Plusle leapt out of the way and started running circles around Combusken. She rammed into him from behind, causing him to stagger forward. "Don't get caught off-guard, Combusken! Double Kick!" Combusken spun around, sweeping his foot across the sand. The first kick knocked Plusle into the air, and the second blow pushed her away. "Combusken, Ember! Plusle, try to dodge it!" Combusken took a deep breath, but instead of spewing out fireballs, he shot out a solid stream of flame.
"Plapla!" Plusle screamed as she leapt out of the way, startled. The stream of fire kept going, exploding in the distance.
"That wasn't Ember!" May gasped. She opened her Pokedex and pointed it at Combusken.
Combusken – Known moves: Double Kick, Peck, Focus Energy, Flamethrower.
"You learned Flamethrower? That's amazing, Combusken!" Combusken squawked happily, proud of his achievement.
"Ahhh! !" someone suddenly screamed. "No! It's ruined!"
"Huh?" May looked in the direction of the screaming, which was where Combusken's attack went. "Sounds like someone's in trouble! Let's go!" May ran to where the scream came from, with her Pokemon following closely behind. She saw a man in safari gear crawling through the sand, trying to grab several singed papers while more flew off into the desert wind. "Are you okay?" May asked the man. "I heard screaming from over here!"
"No, I'm not okay!" the man shouted. "I set up camp here, and there was a random explosion out of nowhere! My notes and charts are all over the place!"
"I'm so sorry! That must have been my fault! I was training with my Pokemon, and I didn't think there was anyone else around!" May got on her hands and knees. "Please forgive me!"
"I guess it's fine..." The man sighed. "I was about to give up on this place, anyway."
"What do you mean? What were you doing out here, anyway?"
"I'm an archaeologist, or as uneducated folk call me, a 'Ruin Maniac'. My name is Dusty. I came to this desert to find the legendary Mirage Tower."
"Mirage Tower? What's that?"
"Apparently, right here in this desert is a tower built by an ancient civilization, made of materials that allow it to blend into the sandstorm, hence the name. I've been searching for this elusive tower for days, but found nothing. I don't think I'll ever find it on my own... I even left a wanted ad in Mauville asking for an assistant, but nobody's replied to it."
"I could help you look for it! I messed up your camp, so it's the least I can do to make up for it."
"That's very kind of you, but like I said, I'm ready to give up on–" He stopped when he saw someone else approaching behind May. "Who's this? Another wanderer?"
"Huh?" May turned around, and recognized the person behind her immediately. "Ah! Steven!"
"Hm? It's you," Steven recognized May. "I did not expect to see you here, May. How have you been?"
"I've been doing great! My Pokemon and I were training here in the desert to prepare for our fifth Gym match!"
"Is that so?" Steven took a quick look at May's Pokemon, then noticed Combusken standing proudly, puffing out his chest slightly. "Ah, so this was that Torchic... I can tell just by looking, he has become much stronger since we first met. Your skill as a Trainer is reflected in your Pokemon."
"Pardon me for interrupting," Dusty said, "but who are you?"
"Ah, forgive my rudeness." Steven turned to the man. "My name is Steven. I'm here because I read your request in Mauville City for an assistant. I'm interested in finding this Mirage Tower as well, and I believe I have something that will help greatly." He reached into a bag he was carrying, and pulled out a device that looked like a pair of high-tech binoculars. "This Devon Scope can see past optical illusions. It should allow us to find the tower easily."
"A Devon Scope? I've never heard of such a thing, but if you say it can help us find the Mirage Tower, I won't complain! This is perfect! I only asked for one assistant, but now I have two!"
"Oh? Were you helping him too?"
"Well, I offered since I accidentally wrecked his camp while training... I'm kinda excited to see this 'invisible' tower, myself! Where do we start?"
"Let's see here..." Dusty looked at one of the sheets he was carrying. "I recorded all the places I've looked so far. I've searched every nook and cranny in the southern end of the desert, so we should start searching the northern end." May recalled her Pokemon as she, Steven, and Dusty headed north.
After a few hours of searching, there had been no sign of the Mirage Tower. Steven looked through the Devon Scope again, scanning left and right.
"Are you sure that thing is working?" Dusty asked Steven. "I'm starting to think I'd be better off searching with my eyes closed!"
"Do not give up so easily," Steven said. "I'm sure we will find it soon... hm?" He looked northeast, and paused. "I think I see it!"
"Really?" May asked.
"See for yourself." Steven handed May the Devon Scope. She peered through the lens, and saw a tall building in the direction Steven was looking, nestled in a corner. "Ah, I see it!" She lowered the Scope, still looking in the same direction, but saw no sign of the building. "It really is invisible!"
"Let me see!" Dusty snatched the Scope out of May's hand and peered through it. "Oooohhh...! That's it! That's the Mirage Tower! There's no doubt!" He tossed the Scope into the air and ran off to the northeast.
"Wait!" Steven shouted as he caught the Scope. "You should not go alone!"
"It's right there, waiting for us! What could possibly go wrong?" As Dusty got closer to where the tower was, the ground beneath him started to sink, turning into a pit. "Wh-what's happening! ?" Dusty tried to crawl out of the pit, but the more he squirmed, the faster he slid down it.
"Hang on!" May said as she ran over to Dusty, grabbing his hand. She tried to pull him out of the sand trap, but ended up getting pulled in herself. Steven then grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled both of them out. "That was close!" As May and Dusty caught their breaths, something suddenly jumped out of the bottom of the pit. It was an orange, four-legged Pokemon with a large head and jagged teeth. May pulled out her Pokedex and opened it.
Trapinch – the Ant Pit Pokemon. It makes an inescapable sand pit for its nest. When unfortunate prey fall into this pit, it bites down with its massive jaws.
"That thing's standing between us and one of the greatest discoveries in history!" Dusty said. "Somebody do something!"
"I could drive it away easily," Steven said, "but I think I would rather let May deal with it."
"Huh? Me?" May looked at Steven.
"I have not had the chance to see you battle, and this would be a perfect opportunity. Are your Pokemon ready for battle?"
"You don't even need to ask!" May jumped to her feet and reached for her belt. "Go, Poochyena!" May released Poochyena from his Ball. "Poochyena, Howl!" Poochyena let out a loud howl, empowering himself. "Take Down!" Poochyena charged at the wild Trapinch, building up momentum. Before he struck, the Trapinch opened its mouth and clamped down on Poochyena's head, swallowing it up. Poochyena yelped as he thrashed around, trying to break free. The Trapinch tossed him into the air, and burrowed into the ground. As Poochyena fell, the Trapinch emerged from the ground, ramming into him.
"Poochyena, hang in there!" May cheered him on. Poochyena hit the ground, but refused to give in. "Move in and Bite! Watch out for its mouth!" Poochyena charged again, but before reaching the Trapinch, he leapt over and landed behind it. He bit down on Trapinch's back as it flailed around. "Poochyena, Take Down!" Poochyena released his grip and jumped back to charge again. Trapinch was still stunned from the last attack, unable to defend itself as Poochyena rammed into it at full speed, knocking it onto its back. "Go, Poke Ball!" May threw an empty Poke Ball at Trapinch and sucked it in. The Poke Ball shook wildly for a few moments, then stopped with a click. "Yeah! I caught it! Good job, Poochyena!" Poochyena barked and wagged his tail happily as May recalled him.
"Impressive, May," Steven said. "Your battle style is very... intriguing. I always enjoy seeing Trainers and Pokemon striving to do their best together."
"Thanks for the compliment!" May walked over to pick up the Poke Ball. It beeped several times before vanishing from her hand. "See you later, Trapinch!"
"Thank goodness that's over with!" Dusty said. "Now, where is that entrance?"
"Allow me," Steven said as he stepped forward, looking through the Devon Scope. It looked like he was grasping at the air as he pushed his hand forward. Suddenly, the area began to rumble as the tower slowly faded into view, the door to the entrance sliding open.
The three of them carefully stepped inside the tower, and immediately came across a staircase spiralling upwards.
"This is amazing!" Dusty said as he looked around. "We're the first people to step inside this tower in centuries! There must be some kind of artifact or important information the ancients kept here if they went through so much trouble of hiding this place!" As they ascended the stairs, May and Steven noticed several murals carved into the walls. They seemed to depict a group of humans worshipping a giant creature, probably a Pokemon. The next picture showed the same group holding some kind of ball over them, and the same creature now bowing to them. A third picture depicted a mountain exploding, with humans fleeing from destroyed houses.
"It's like reading a picture book," May commented. They finally reached the top floor of the tower, a circular room with an altar in the middle, holding two stone slabs. On the wall opposite of them was another mural with an inscription beneath it. The mural depicted two groups of humans with two balls above them on either side, and in the center, a pair of creatures, one of them being the creature from the previous murals.
"Ah, some ancient writings!" Dusty ran up to the mural and pulled out several pieces of paper from his pocket, comparing his notes to the writing on the wall. "What does it say...? 'We now realize the grave error we have made. Man was never meant to control the forces of nature. The great beast now sleeps in the mountain of fire, its wrath subsided. May it and the cursed crystal remain lost forever...' It seems to be a warning of some kind." He began writing down a copy of the inscription on his papers.
"A mountain of fire? Like a volcano?" May asked. "The only volcano I've seen here is Mt. Chimney. Does that mean there's something sleeping inside it?"
"That is possible," Steven said. "I was hoping there would be more here, but..." He stepped up to the altar and examined the two slabs. "Oh, these are...! Come look at this, May."
"What is it?" May stood next to Steven and looked at the slabs. One of them looked like it had an image of a claw carved into it, while the other had an image of a flower. "Are these sculptures or something?"
"No, these are fossils, the remains of ancient Pokemon that have been petrified over time. This is very rare, indeed. Coming here has still paid off. You should take one of these fossils with you, May."
"Huh? I wouldn't have much use for something like this..."
"Trust me, it will come in handy in the future. I will let you pick one first, and I will take the other."
"Okay, then... I'll take this one." May grabbed the fossilized flower, while Steven took the fossilized claw. Suddenly, the entire room began to shake, and the altar fell apart. "What's happening! ?" May looked around. Part of the ceiling broke off and crashed next to her, startling her.
"The tower is collapsing! We have to leave!"
"But I haven't finished writing down this inscription!" Dusty said, scribbling vigorously.
"There's no time left!" May shouted as she grabbed Dusty and dragged him back down the stairs, with Steven following closely behind.
As they ran out of the tower, the surrounding sand began to shift, and the tower began sinking. They watched as the desert sands completely consumed the building, leaving no evidence of its existence behind.
"That was close!" May said, breathing a sigh of relief. "That could have been us going with it!"
"Such a shame..." Dusty said. "But at least I was able to write down most of the inscription and draw some rough sketches of the murals inside! This is more than anyone else will ever have! I must share these findings with my colleagues! You two have been wonderful assistants! Thank you, and farewell!" Dusty happily ran off into the desert, leaving May and Steven behind.
"I must leave as well," Steven said. "I had hoped that the Mirage Tower contained more information, especially about this 'cursed crystal' and its location. But it seems I must search elsewhere." He extended his hand to May. "It was a pleasure meeting you again, May, and also a privilege to see you battle. Best of luck in your training, and I hope to meet you again someday."
"Likewise!" May shook hands with Steven, and he too headed off into the desert, fading behind the veil of sand. "That was pretty exciting, but now it's time to get back to business!" She released all of her Pokemon again. "All right, everyone, time to keep training! Tentacruel and Lairon, you're up next!"
Author's Note: Just wanted to address a minor technicality. I know that in the game, you leave Lavaridge by jumping down a few ledges, and that you can't "go back up" the Jagged Pass without an Acro Bike. Realistically, it doesn't make sense to enter a town through a one-way path, and then leave it by taking another one-way path, but then again, it also doesn't make much sense that there's only one way to reach a town.
Another interesting note: I intentionally chose the name Dusty for the Ruin Maniac, since that is the name of one of the Trainers you encounter in the desert area in the game.