An awkward silence filled the cabin's living room. Tom, Peter, and April occupied a couch while Jude sat in a chair nearby. They were all waiting for Samus and the Governor, who would be arriving at the cabin soon, although it was not exactly clear why. In the meantime, putting Tom and Jude in a room together without anything obvious to talk about became an understandable source of awkwardness.
"So, Jude…" Tom said, staring at the fireplace in the brick wall in front of him, "…um, have you gotten eight badges yet?"
"I have," said Jude. "I got my last one in Hoenn just before coming to Sinnoh. It wasn't that hard." Ten seconds of silence ensued. "What about you?" Jude finally asked.
"Seven down, just one to go," said Tom.
Yet another awkward silence ensued. Peter and April kept looking back and forth from Tom to Jude, as if one of them was going to explode at any moment. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "This is boring," I said. "Let's talk about how Tom makes out with his own hand at night as if I can't detect it."
"No, better idea!" said my brother, Jude's Ultradex. "Let's talk about the disgusting crap Jude jacks off to without bothering to turn me off."
"Oh, I have an even better idea!" I said excitedly. "Let's talk about…."
"Dexter," Tom loudly cut me off, "if you say even one more word, I will mute you permanently and make sure you never talk again."
Talk about a killjoy. "Banana," I said mockingly. "There, that's one more word. Now are you going to mute the only voice of reason in your miserable life?"
Jude rolled his eyes. "I see your little electric friend has been as much of a problem as mine has."
"Tell me about it," said Tom. "Even with all of his useful functions, it's barely worth putting up with."
"I know what you mean," said Jude, and then they finally looked each other in the eye. It was the first time since I'd been with Tom that he both made eye contact with Jude and, simultaneously, smiled.
Finally, the cabin's front door opened. The old lady who owned the place greeted the three visitors who entered, although she did not sound happy to do so. The arrangements had already been made in advance, so Professor Rowan, Samus, and the Governor soon found themselves standing in front of the four teenagers.
"Greetings, young trainers," said the Governor. "I see that you have decided to keep all of your Pokémon within their Pokéballs for the occasion. Please, I suggest you release all of them. I believe it is important that they are aware, to whatever extent they can be, of what we are about to discuss."
Beams of white light flashed all around the room as twenty-four Pokémon all exited their Pokéballs. The living room was big, but not that big; the room was very cramped afterward, and several Pokémon had to look inward from the hallways. Some of the smaller ones went under the couch and chairs to make room for the larger ones. As the Pokémon all shuffled around to make as much room as possible, the innkeeper watched from the hallway with disgust. "Damn Governor…" the old woman muttered. "Thinks he can come in and just own the place… don't regret voting against him one bit…."
Once the Pokémon were all settled, the Governor spoke again. "At this point," he said, "you are likely wondering why I wanted to meet with you four here." (April grabbed Peter's head, which was facing Samus, and rotated it to face the Governor.) "The short answer is that we need your help. We will need all of the help we can get. We are on the verge of eliminating the Space Pirates from Pocket once and for all, and you four may end up being a vital part of the operation. But first, you ought to be fully informed of our current circumstances."
And so the Governor explained the "current circumstances". He told them about Samus's mission inside the Pirate base, its aftermath, and the information gleaned from it. He told them how Mewtwo's Pokéball was stolen, and then destroyed, with Mewtwo still inside it (or rather, still stranded at wherever it sent him). He mentioned the Metroids in Mt. Coronet; as Rowan remarked, "It only makes too much sense! Metroids are weak to cold, so of course they would be kept within caves that are surrounded on most sides by cold weather. It keeps them contained, but also keeps them near the machine that feeds off their power – a plan dastardly in its brilliance!" The Governor explained that the Space Pirates' ultimate plan, although it was not completely clear what this plan was, hinged on a machine integrated with Mt. Coronet. He explained that the Metroids on Pocket had been sucking Life Energy from Pokémon to transfer it to this mysterious machine. He explained that these Metroids were being controlled by a recreated Mother Brain, who also served as the head of the machine. And he made it clear that the key to defeating the Space Pirates, therefore, was to destroy Mother Brain, who rested at the top of Mt. Coronet. "And with Mewtwo out of the equation," he concluded, "we now have a better opportunity than ever to do so."
"Um, Mr. Governor?" said Peter. "Sorry if I'm interrupting, but… are you saying that we are going to the top of Mt. Coronet to deal with this?"
"Obviously, I cannot force the decision on any of you," said the Governor. "But yes, should you accept, any plan we come up with would involve you four trainers scaling Mt. Coronet and fighting Mother Brain as well as anything guarding her. With help, of course." I felt a strange new emotion within Tom that would be hard to accurately describe.
"For the record, this was not something I supported," said Samus. "You're all very young, and this will be tougher than anything you've been through so far. But you also are among the best trainers in the province, have prior experience fighting Pirates, and happen to be right beneath our destination as we speak. I hate to admit it, but using you in our confrontation might be the most strategic option." There was another factor that Samus did not dare mention: the fact that the two likeliest prophesized saviors – Tom and Jude – were now given a chance to truly be put to the test. What Samus had actually objected to was dragging Peter and April along with them. But she realized it was a moot point; those two wouldn't let Tom leave them behind if they could go into battle with him.
"You said 'with help'," Jude pointed out. "How much help are we talking about, here?"
"Ah," said the Governor, "but that is the question. Professor, may I have the holoscope?"
"Certainly," said Rowan. The Professor took a small metal cube out of his pocket and handed it to the Governor. The Governor pressed something on the cube, and it transformed into a wide, flat surface. When he pressed another button, a holographic display of Japano appeared over the Governor's head. When the Governor tinkered with the device, the projection zoomed in on three locations: Mt. Chimney, Mt. Coronet, and the Pirate base in Veilstone City.
"These are the three current Space Pirate strongholds," said the Governor. "To eliminate the Pirate menace, we will have to launch attacks on all three of them, preferably at the same time. And this…" He zoomed in on Mt. Coronet even further; "…is where you'll be heading."
At the peak of Mt. Coronet is a place called Spear Pillar, a flat, artificial surface that tops the otherwise rugged mountain. The holoscope displayed Spear Pillar and its current inhabitants. Mother Brain was one of them. The huge, glass-encased brain was surrounded by what Samus recognized as the Zebetite barriers that had also protected her on Zebes, or at least, something bearing a strong resemblance to them. But that was not Mother Brain's only defense. Two creatures stood out more than anything else on Spear Pillar. "Ridley," Samus muttered; "Kraid!" Tom and Peter both gasped. Indeed, Ridley was perched atop one of the area's many stone columns; Kraid was actually standing on part of the mountain below – from where he stood, Spear Pillar was on level with his middle belly button. That wasn't all there was to see on Spear Pillar, although a lot was hard to make out. There were several Space Pirates there, and they seemed to be manning cannons of some kind. There also seemed to be something sticking out of a cave in Mt. Coronet nearby, although it was hard to tell what. On top of that, there were three large, white blotches surrounding Mother Brain – from the holographic image, it was hard to tell what they were. Furthermore, the place was full of clutter, from the many stone columns that held nothing up to the rubble leftover from columns that had fallen over long ago.
"As you can see," said the Governor, "the Pirates have taken precautions to defend the location. Due to their anti-air weaponry, we cannot send forces there from above; whoever is sent to fight at Spear Pillar will have to climb their way up from the bottom of Mt. Coronet. More importantly, the guards there are powerful and will be a force to reckon with. Additionally, there is a very high chance that, should a fight break out there, they would send even more guards to the location. Given her importance, it is not unthinkable that every Pirate on the planet would join a battle to defend Mother Brain, if necessary."
The holographic display zoomed out to show the three Pirate strongholds again. "This gives us two options to consider," the Governor continued. "One, we send a force to Spear Pillar that is large and powerful enough to defeat an army of what may be hundreds of Space Pirates. Or, two, we attack all three Pirate strongholds simultaneously, weakening their ability to defend only a single location at once. For several reasons, I have decided on the second option. If we only attack one location, many Pirates will inevitably live on. For all we know, they may have a backup plan; either way, I want all Space Pirates off of Pocket for good.
"At Mt. Chimney and Veilstone City, we want enough fighters to do significant damage to the Pirate forces. We must force those Pirates to choose between defending their current base and defending Spear Pillar. Although I believe they will ultimately choose the latter, they will only leave their post as a last resort – and by then, we will have put a significant dent in their forces. The more fighters we send there to overwhelm them, the larger the dent. But the more fighters we send to Spear Pillar, the smaller we will need the dent to be.
"Unfortunately, our resources are limited. Certainly, we will have no trouble recruiting Pokémon trainers to join the fight – past events have proven the training community's willingness to do so, given the opportunity. This is especially true in Veilstone, where local trainers will be readily available, in contrast to Mt. Chimney and Mt. Coronet. However, I am under no illusions as to who will shoulder most of the burden. Amateur trainers will fold easily, and even with my policing forces to back them up, only the most elite trainers – the gym leaders and the Elite Four – will do the majority of the battling. We must focus on them, however small they are in number.
"We cannot afford to lose any of the three battles. However, one additional gym leader in one location means one less in either of the others. And both Mt. Chimney and the Veilstone base are well-defended enough, with enough Space Pirate forces, that we must send a sizeable number of elite trainers and police forces to each. And the more elite trainers we bring here, the more we risk ruining our ability to sneak into Spear Pillar under the Pirates' noses. Still, a sneak attack on Spear Pillar would be pointless if the forces we send can't defeat everything they might encounter. Thus, the question remains: should you accept to scale Mt. Coronet, how much help do we send?"
"I'd be going with you, just so you know," said Samus. "I'm going whether any of you four are or not. So you won't be alone, no matter what."
"Ah, yes, I nearly forgot to mention that," said the Governor. "I apologize. Now I ask again: with Samus's assistance being a given, how much help do you believe you would need to conquer the Pirates atop Mt. Coronet?"
Eight seconds of silence ensued. Jude then spoke up: "Excuse me, Mr. Governor, but… are you asking us to decide that? With all due respect, how the heck do you expect us to have the kind of knowledge and experience to make that judgment?"
"Might I remind you, Mr. Tutino, that this is the Governor you are talking down to?" Rowan said harshly.
"No need to be indignant, Professor," said the Governor; "it was a valid question. Let me make something clear: I am not, as you might say, making this up as I go. I do have a clear picture of every possible option, and have already weighted them all by every standard there is. However, I do like to hear input from as many sources as possible; to me, all data points are valuable, even if they end up being irrelevant in the final analysis. And would not the opinions of those who are about to embark on this mission be more important data points than most?"
"Um, Mr. Governor… I think Jude is right," said Tom. "Even after all those times I've fought the Space Pirates, I really don't know what to expect up there, and I don't know what I should expect from any help we get."
"Very well," said the Governor. "Such is hardly surprising. Samus, do you have any input?"
Samus sighed. She knew, logically, what needed to be said, but she dreaded having to say it. She had a faint idea of what the ideal strategy might be, and she had a bad feeling that she was right. "Assuming that those images you showed us are to be believed, it looks like Mother Brain's guards consist of Ridley, Kraid, and a small group of Pirate Troopers. Well, that's not counting Mother Brain, who would probably do some fighting herself. But even so, that force could probably be defeated by me and the twenty-four strong Pokémon around us. The biggest problem would come if more Pirates joined the fight; we'll need some backup to be more prepared for that. But in my opinion, our greatest chance to wipe out the Space Pirates would be to have only a small number of strong trainers go up Mt. Coronet, and keep the rest in the battlefields of Mt. Chimney and Veilstone City. If we're going to attack all three locations, it's important to keep as many Pirates away from Spear Pillar as possible, which means deploying most forces to the other two locations." There was something that Samus intentionally neglected to mention, though: although this plan might bear the highest chance of success for the operation as a whole, it without a doubt provided the greatest risk to each individual who went to Spear Pillar. By bringing up a valid strategic detail, Samus knew, she was quite possibly dooming one or more of these kids – or their Pokémon – to die in battle.
"Ah, yes, just as I suspected," said the Governor, and Samus got a chilly feeling like she had been used. "That having been said, Mt. Chimney and Veilstone City are each thought to have as many as one hundred Space Pirates ready for battle, and Mt. Chimney likely has more than that. Under no condition will I send the five of you to Mt. Coronet alone… however, I do not know how many forces we can afford to give up…."
Rowan groaned. "If only we had some more assistance," he lamented. "We're in dire need of it right now."
"Dire need," Tom repeated contemplatively. Everyone looked at him, but he only repeated, "Dire need, dire need… assistance…."
Nobody seemed sure what to make of this incoherent stuttering. Nobody, that is, except Manny, who stood next to Tom's end of the couch. Manny excitedly clapped his lower hands and triumphantly raised his upper fists. "The Kimono Girls!" he yelled.
Not everyone in the room had been aware that a talking Machamp was in their presence. Jude could not have looked more shocked; "Holy shit!" he whispered. Rowan wore more or less the same expression as Jude, and muttered, "Heavens!" The Governor looked on with a mix of mild curiosity and mild amusement. Samus was so used to even weirder crap happening that this didn't even show up on her radar.
Manny and Tom completely ignored the commotion. "The Rainbow Pokémon…" Tom started.
"…Will come to the assistance…" Manny continued.
"…Of a worthy trainer in dire need…"
"…Should that trainer hold…"
"…Its Rainbow Wing…"
"…In the sunlight."
Tom suddenly stood up, prompting a few Pokémon near him to scurry away. Even more Pokémon had to make room for him when he walked over to the window behind the couch. "Is it sunny outside?" he asked nobody in particular.
"Sort of," I told him. (Whereas Manny's voice had generated shock, mine merely generated confusion. I hated always being shown up by that Pokémon.) "It's been clearing up out there ever since the storm ended."
"Perfect!" said Tom. He bolted out of the room, which was not easy – he had to step both over and around several Pokémon on his way. Tom had left his backpack leaning on the wall; he picked it back up. Then he jogged to the cabin's front door, opened it, and left.
The ground outside was still covered in snow, which Tom hastily marched through. It was mostly cloudy, but the clouds were parted in just the right place to allow the sun to shine through. Tom unzipped his backpack. From within it, he pulled out the golden feather he had found in Ecruteak City. He held the feather above his head, letting it bask in the sun, reflecting rainbows.
Fifteen minutes passed. Everyone else had joined Tom outside – Pokémon and all – and they were all quietly waiting for something to happen. Tom had been excited at first, but now that his arm was tired from holding the feather up for so long, I could feel a tinge of doubt within him. That doubt completely and totally disappeared when he saw what was flying towards him.
April and Jude both said something tantamount to "What the hell is that?" although neither of them formed a complete sentence.
"Ho-Oh," Rowan whispered in amazement. The Governor nodded.
The clouds Ho-Oh flew through seemed to part for the legendary Pokémon like dust from a fan. There was absolutely no doubt that this was the "Rainbow Pokémon"; every color of the rainbow reflected off its feathers, greatly contrasting it with the grey/white clouds. Only when it got closer did the people in the snow become aware of just how huge this Pokémon was. Ho-Oh is 12.5 feet tall. Its wingspan is about 25 feet. The legendary Pokémon swooped down from the sky. Everyone was breathless with wonder and, perhaps, fright.
The moment Ho-Oh landed on the ground, every Pokémon in the vicinity – Manny included – bowed down to it. They did this even if it meant putting their heads in the snow. It was simply instinct. The fiery Pokémon's wings almost instantly melted the snow around it. It then held up its beak and let out a tremendous "CAW!" sound.
Tom was white as paper and rigid as a stone. Still, he managed to gather up enough senses to talk to Manny, who was still kneeling right next to him. "Um, Manny," he whispered, "I don't think he… she… it speaks telepathically. Do you think you can, you know, talk to it for me?"
Manny looked horrified by the suggestion. "Me? No… no, no, no… every instinct I have is telling me that that's not a good idea. You're the one who summoned Ho-Oh, and it willingly came to you. I think that you should speak to it."
Tom gulped as he looked up at the golden bird towering over him. He made eye contact with Ho-Oh; if possible, he became even whiter. Nonetheless, he clenched his fists and spoke with a louder and stronger voice than I expected. "Ho-Oh… thank you so much for coming. We need your help right now. All of Pocket needs your help. We're launching our final assault against the Space Pirates, but we're afraid that we may not have enough people to beat them. If we fail, the Pirates could make a comeback… and that could be disastrous for all of us. Please, we need you to fight with us. We need the help of any legendary Pokémon that you can get to fight with you, too. Please… if you don't help us, our entire planet might be in danger."
When Tom finished his plea, he continued looking up at Ho-Oh, who stared down at him contemplatively. Then, with another "CAW!" the legendary Pokémon took to the air. It began flying away – but before it was out of sight, it turned its head back and screeched "CAW!" once more.
Everyone stood in place, watching the rainbow-like trail of light that Ho-Oh reflected grow more and more distant. Eventually, Tom said to Manny, "It said 'wait', right? For some reason, I got the feeling that it wanted us to wait."
"That's exactly what it said, actually," said Manny.
So they waited.
They waited for an hour.
Nobody dared go inside, as Ho-Oh could come back at any moment. At first, there wasn't much talking, and when there was, it was only in hushed whispers. But eventually, people and Pokémon started to realize that it might be a long wait, and they got less tense. Charlie, no longer able to sit still, got Flareon to play a game with him to see who could melt the most snow the fastest. Other Pokémon soon followed suit: Golem and Albert goofed around; Milotic and Vaporeon playfully "swam" through the surrounding snow; Kim cheered Charlie on; Pachirisu dragged Ralph into visiting each and every one of the other Pokémon. Jude's team, unlike the other three, mostly just interacted with each other, not showing much interest in anyone else's Pokémon.
The Pokémon weren't the only ones who loosened up in spite of the situation. April asked Tom how he got that feather. Then Rowan asked him how he knew what to do with it. Upon answering that too, Jude asked Tom if Manny had been able to talk this entire time.
"Hey, I'm right here – why don't you ask me to my face?" Manny replied before Tom could. "Yeah, I'm that Machop you saw back in Cerulean City, and yeah, I've been talking this entire time. That means I heard and understood everything you've said to Tom." He cracked his knuckles in a clear act of intimidation. Jude looked down at his feet in… shame? That's what it seemed like, but I had a hard time believing it.
The kids asked Rowan, the Governor, and Samus about everything that had happened up until then. The kids had plenty to share too, especially about Snowpoint Temple. Eventually, the discussion turned into more general chit-chat. It was then that Rowan asked to talk to Manny alone.
Five minutes later, the professor and the Machamp walked back to the rest of the group. Tom had been immensely curious about what Rowan had needed Manny for. "It's no big deal," Manny told his trainer. "He just asked me why I can talk, and how, and all that other stuff everyone keeps asking me whenever they find out that I can talk."
"I couldn't help it," said Rowan. "This is absolutely unprecedented; there's no telling what implications it might have on Pokémon science. But don't worry – I don't intend to around blabbing about it. Your secret is safe with me. Now… Governor, can you please join us for a moment?"
The Governor had just finished sharing some amusing anecdote with the others. "Certainly," he said, walking closer to Rowan and Manny. "Can I somehow be of assistance?"
"Er… yeah, there's something I was wondering," said Manny. "Mr. Governor… do you think the Space Pirates could be after me? I mean, I'm like the first talking Pokémon ever, if you don't count telepathic psychic Pokémon. And then, five or six months after I was born, Space Pirates land on Pocket at Mt. Moon, where I lived. Is that really just a coincidence?"
The Governor's mental waves indicated that he was calm, which soothed Manny a bit. "Do not worry," the Governor said. "It is almost certainly just a coincidence. The Pirates did not choose where to land on Pocket; the meteor chose for them, and Mt. Moon is known for its frequent meteor collisions. More importantly, there is nothing within the Space Pirate data we have gathered to indicate that they even know of the existence of a talking Machamp, to say nothing of being after one. No, it simply does not fit; from what we know of the Pirates' plans, the addition of such a goal would not make any sense."
"Thank you," said Manny, who seemed greatly relieved. "Man, that's a load off my shoulders."
Something was bugging me. "Hey, isn't anyone surprised that I have AI?" I asked. "What about you, Rowan – you work with Oak, so you ought to know about the Ultradexes. Surely it caught you off guard."
"Sorry?" Rowan said, looking at me in Tom's hand. "Oh… why, er, yes, what a shock! I'm stunned! Flabbergasted!" But I could tell it was lie. It was then that I became deeply suspicious of all of the Pokémon Professors.
When our wait ended, April was the first to notice. "Look!" she exclaimed, pointing to the sky. Concealed by the veil of the clouds, the outline of a large bird was approaching them. As it got closer, it became obvious that this was not Ho-Oh. When Ho-Oh flew through clouds, they parted in its presence; for this bird, the opposite seemed to be true. The clouds grew thicker wherever it flew, and instead of rainbow-like reflective light, it seemed to leave a trail of mist behind it. The Pokémon flew closer still, and people realized that it was even more enormous than Ho-Oh. It was mostly silvery-white, but its belly was blue, as were the spikes on its back and surrounding its eyes. Its wings looked almost like giant hands.
Lugia slowed down before landing in front of the crowd. Once again, the Pokémon all bowed down in respect of the legendary Pokémon before them.
Lugia looked at Tom as it telepathically spoke. "Hello, everyone," it said. "And hello especially to you, young one. You are the one who called Ho-Oh, correct?"
Tom nodded nervously. "Yes," he said. "Um, where's Ho-Oh now?"
"Sadly, Ho-Oh could not be of assistance. I will explain all in a moment. First, I would like to know: are you not one of the two trainers the Eon Pokémon spoke of, who fought against the green giant and nearly won?"
"Y…yeah, that was me," Tom confirmed.
"I was the other one!" Peter added.
"Both of you fill me with hope," said Lugia. "If young fighters with such courage exist on this planet, then I do not see how we can lose against the evil we must face. And that brings me to the reason I have come: the Space Pirate threat must be addressed.
"It is unlike legendary Pokémon such as me to intervene in the affairs of this planet, but for these sinister circumstances, an exception must be made. Sadly, however, Ho-Oh is in no condition to fight, thanks to the same evil I speak of. Ho-Oh chased Metroid attackers out of the Burned Tower, but the damage had been done, and the three legendary beasts of Johto lay dying within. Summoning all the energy he could muster, Ho-Oh revived the beasts. But this revival was not without its toll – it has left Ho-Oh weak, and it will be years before he has completely recovered from the ordeal.
"Ho-Oh realized that he could not provide the assistance you seek, and so he sent me to speak to you in his stead. Tell me, young one – what is your name?"
Lugia had been staring at Tom the whole time. "I'm Tom Tasby," said Tom, forcing himself to remain calm and confident.
"Then Tom," said Lugia, "I want you to have this." A single feather detached itself from Lugia's wing. At first, Tom didn't realize what he was supposed to be receiving, but then he saw the feather floating towards him despite the lack of wind. The silver feather slowly made its way towards Tom's hand until it landed in his open palm.
"Both Ho-Oh and I have a special connection to our feathers, even those which we discard," Lugia explained. "Ho-Oh can feel his lost feathers calling out to him if they are ever exposed to the sun. This connection is, in part, a psionic one, and Ho-Oh can sense when the holder of his feather is pure of heart and in dire need. However, because I possess such great psychic powers of my own, I do not need solar energy to activate this connection. Whenever you need my help, simply hold that feather in your hand and call out for me with your mind. I promise that I will find you. Furthermore, when the time comes, I will not be alone. All three legendary birds of Kanto answer to me. Whenever and wherever the final battle against the Space Pirates is fought, use my feather to call me, and I will come to help – as will Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. I assure you that all four of us are willing to join the fight."
"Thank you," Tom said, looking back and forth between Lugia and the feather in his hand. "I'll remember all of that. Thank you so much, Lugia."
"No, young Tom," said Lugia, "it is I who should be thanking you. I ought to be thanking all of the brave humans and Pokémon who stand before me, willing to put their lives at risk to fight for the survival of their planet. Without you, all hope for Pocket would have been lost long ago."
Lugia craned its head to face the Governor. "It has been a long time, Mariam," said the legendary bird. "Have the years treated you well?"
"Yes, quite well," the Governor replied. "Believe it or not, the people of this province have actually elected me to be their governor. I'm still not certain what gave them such a crazy idea!"
"Ah, I'm not the least bit surprised," said Lugia. "I've always had you pegged as a natural leader."
"You have still been slumbering in your cave, I assume?"
"Yes, same as always. Well, I can sense that no more words between us are necessary. Any further talking would only stall us. So I must bid you farewell – for now. When the time comes, I will see many of you again very soon."
Without even building up speed, the huge bird shot up to the sky, leaving a misty trail behind. Everyone watched in awe as it disappeared into the clouds. When it was gone, Peter asked the Governor in shock, "You know Lugia?"
"Indeed," the Governor answered. "I am older than you might think, and I have become very connected over the years. I must admit, however, that I wasn't nearly as well-connected as you are at your age. Who knows – perhaps you could become governor someday." The Governor winked. April began giggling uncontrollably. Peter looked at her, appearing both annoyed and mildly hurt.
Jude wasn't in the mood for casual banter. "Excuse me," he said, "but do we really have any reason to stay out here? It's just a little bit cold."
"I concur," said Rowan. "All of this will have been pointless if we all die of frostbite now."
"Do not worry," said the Governor, "our business outside is now over. Everyone, let us go back into the cabin. There, I will explain the plan I have formulated based on the various input I have received today."
People and Pokémon alike made their way through the snow back to the cabin door. Tom was the last one to leave. He was still staring at the sky where Lugia had flown away; in the same direction stood Mt. Coronet, whose peak was so high that the clouds obscured it. Manny put his hand on Tom's shoulder. "C'mon, Tom, everyone's going inside."
"Oh, um, right," said Tom, breaking out of his trance. He and Manny followed the rest of the group into the cabin.
Tom was still in a bit of a daze as he sat back down on the couch, but he wasn't alone. They had just talked to two legendary Pokémon within the past hour. Most people were still a little fuzzy-eyed from this surreal experience. The only exceptions were the Governor and Samus, both of whom had much stricter standards for what qualified as surreal.
Nonetheless, the Governor stood before them all in the crowded room and explained his plan. "The longer we wait, the more prepared the Pirates will be," he said. "And the more desperate they will get. Mewtwo has commanded them not to make any moves, and that has worked in our favor – but now they fear they have lost him, and I do not wish to wait to see how they channel that fear. So we shan't wait. At five o'clock tomorrow morning, the Space Pirates at both Mt. Chimney and Veilstone City will find themselves in for a fight. Overnight, I will transport every elite trainer in Japano, as well as my entire police force, to those two locations. When the time for battle comes, the elite trainers will take the front lines, with my police force backing them up. We will try to recruit ordinary local trainers as well, but as I said before, their help will be minimal.
"However, the strategies at Mt. Chimney and Veilstone City are not of your concern. While the Space Pirates might notice the massive airlift to those bases tonight, they are less likely to notice five people entering Mt. Coronet's caves. I refer, of course, to Mr. Tasby, Mr. Tutino, Mr. Embs, Miss Maywood, and Miss Aran. It will take many hours for you five to ascend Mt. Coronet, but then, that is the point. By the time you all reach Spear Pillar, the Pirates will be weakened, distracted, and not prepared for another assault. Once you get to Spear Pillar, you will summon Lugia and then immediately begin the assault. Before Lugia and the other legendary birds arrive, it is essential that you disable Spear Pillar's anti-air defenses. This will allow the legendary birds to fly to your assistance as soon as they can. Against twenty-four trained Pokémon, four legendary Pokémon, and one legendary bounty hunter, Mother Brain and her henchmen do not stand a chance."
Tom raised his hand. "Do you have a question, Mr. Tasby?" the Governor asked.
"Yeah," said Tom. "Is it really necessary for us to be the ones who go up to Spear Pillar? I mean, I understand that we're already so close to it and all, but still… wouldn't we have a better chance of winning if you brought over some stronger, more experience Pokémon trainers to do it instead?"
"Ah, Mr. Tasby, you underestimate your own abilities. Believe it or not, young though you may be, the four Pokémon trainers in this room have killed more Space Pirates than anyone else on the planet – Ms. Aran exempted, of course." Tom was a bit surprised. I suppose he hadn't really thought about it before, but it should have been obvious. "Do not worry – if I did not think that you were more than capable of what I am asking of you, I would not be asking it. And it was not a decision I took lightly. I would not ask if I did not feel absolutely certain that you four, as opposed to any four other trainers, provide the greatest chance at accomplishing this task. You have the most experience with battling Space Pirates, possess strong Pokémon, and, coincidentally, are positioned to sneak into Mt. Coronet on a moment's notice.
"However, the choice is ultimately yours. I would never dream of forcing you into this mission. But the time to choose has come. You may take your time, if the decision is difficult, but remember that our time is not infinite. Are you willing to go to Spear Pillar and execute the most important step in our campaign against the Pirates? I could find other trainers to do so in your stead. You could then join the battles at Mt. Chimney or Veilstone City, or, if you prefer, sit out of the fight altogether. There would be no shame in doing so, I promise you."
"Can I elaborate on that, Governor?" asked Samus.
"Certainly."
Samus looked all four teenagers in the eye, one by one. She thought about how young they all were. At their age, she had just joined the Galactic Federation Police Force. But that was different. After the destruction of her homeworld, Samus spent her entire childhood training under the Chozo on the planet Zebes. These kids had cozy, sheltered childhoods living in their homes with their parents. And now, the moment they stepped into the adult world, they were being thrust full-speed into the very harshest sector of it. Samus couldn't imagine the abrupt transition they must be going through, and she doubted that they were even fully aware of it.
"Listen, everyone," she began. "After all you've been through – all of the trainer battles you've won, all of the Space Pirates you've killed – I understand how confident you must feel. And to an extent, that confidence is warranted. But you need to understand that there is just no way to know how prepared you are for what's ahead. This is bigger than anything you've been through. And now, more than ever, you need to be fully aware of the fact that this isn't a game anymore. When you lose a Pokémon battle, you give up some money and go to the nearest Pokémon Center. There are no Pokémon Centers waiting for you on Spear Pillar, only death – and your Pokémon are the only things standing between death and you. You're at war now, and your enemies don't just want your Pokémon to faint; they want to kill you and your Pokémon, and they'll do it unless you kill them first. If you do follow me to Spear Pillar, it would be almost miraculous if everyone in this room – human and Pokémon – survived. It's time to choose: do you follow me, and put yourself through experiences that'll haunt your nightmares for the rest of your life, assuming you're lucky enough to live at all? Or do you stay behind, and fall asleep tonight without wondering whether it'll be your last night alive? As the Governor said, there is no shame in the second option. In fact, I recommend it."
When Samus finished talking, each trainer looked at their Pokémon. Tom gave Manny a serious look, and Manny returned it. They both looked around at the rest of the team: Ralph had settled on Tom's lap; Umanda was at his feet; Charlie was peering in from the hallway; Kim and Albert were in a corner near that hallway. Then Manny turned back to Tom and, without changing his expression, made a single gesture: a thumbs-up. A split-second afterwards, Kim screeched. This screech seemed to act as a catalyst for the other Pokémon, because just then a chorus of Pokémon noises filled the room. Charlie gave out a tremendous roar; Ralph charged up his cheeks and said "Raaaaii!"; even Umanda meowed. All four trainers' Pokémon were suddenly in a pumped-up frenzy. They may not have understood Samus's exact words, but they had picked up on her basic message. And now they were sending a message of their own: they were ready to do whatever their masters wanted of them. No matter how dangerous or demanding.
The noise took about a minute to die down. As soon as it did, Jude spoke. "I've made up my mind," he said. "I'm definitely going."
"Okay," said Samus. "And you three?"
Tom, Peter, and April all looked at each other. I may just be a cold, inhuman machine, but I could tell that they were saying "yes" to each other with their eyes.
April was the first one to say it out loud. "I'm going," she said.
"Me too," Tom and Peter both said simultaneously.
The Governor telepathically smiled. "I had a feeling that might be the case. Very well. I sincerely believe that I can put the fate of our planet in your capable hands."
"Not to pressure you or anything," muttered Samus. Rowan snickered, but tried to cover it up by clearing his throat.
The Governor continued invisibly smiling. "Trust me, Miss Aran: nothing I say can possibly make them feel more pressured than they already do. Now, trainers, can you please withdraw your Pokémon? I will need to leave soon, but this crowd would be difficult to navigate through."
The room seemed to turn white as twenty-three Pokémon were quickly beamed back into their Pokéballs. Only Manny remained out. The Governor gave one last encouraging speech. A couple minutes later, he and Rowan were gone. Samus left the room without saying a word.
Tom, Peter, April, Jude, and Manny sat in yet another awkward silence. "So… now what?" Peter eventually asked.
"I'm going out to train," said Jude. Then he got up and left. The kids heard the creaky cabin door shut behind him.
"Should we be doing that too?" asked Peter.
Tom thought for a second. "I guess so," he said. "I mean, we're going to need our Pokémon to be at their best tomorrow, more than ever. The least we can do is prepare them a little today."
"And being outside will get us used to the cold," added April. "We'll probably have to go through a lot of cold weather tomorrow."
"Sounds like we've reached a decision," said Manny, standing up. "C'mon, then – let's go at it!"
Tom, Peter, and April trained their Pokémon in the snow for several hours. Jude did the same at a spot closer to Mt. Coronet, uphill from the other three. It wasn't very intensive training, and the three teenagers seemed to only have half of their minds on the task. As the day wore on, the clouds got thinner and thinner until they were gone entirely. It then became apparent just how much of Mt. Coronet's peak these clouds had been concealing. The mountain was gigantic. And now the teenagers saw how it stretched on and on, covering almost the whole length of the island. Every few minutes, Tom would stare wistfully at the peak for a moment.
"Can you believe this whole ordeal is about to end?" April asked at one point. "Everything's just happened so fast."
"I know what you mean," said Tom. "It feels like these last three weeks have been some weird dream. I'm almost afraid I could wake up at any moment."
For several seconds, they stared at Mt. Coronet in silence. "…This could be our last day alive," said April, so softly it was almost a whisper.
"Not mine," said Tom.
Peter and April looked at him. "What do you mean?" asked April.
"I can't die," said Tom. "I promised my mom I wouldn't."
"Good attitude!" said Peter. "Well, if Tom's not dying, I'm not dying!"
April half-smiled, but still seemed a bit downcast. Manny must have noticed. "None of you are dying, April," he said. "Y'know why?"
"Why?" she asked.
"Because your Pokémon will be there to protect you. I'd give my life to keep my master safe, and the same is true of every Pokémon here. And if you're afraid of it coming to that, don't worry – that's why the legendary birds and Samus will be there to back us up. We're gonna go up there, take names, kick ass, and be back in time for dinner!"
"I hope you're right," said April.
"He's a friggin' talking Machamp, of course he's right!" said Peter.
Ten seconds of silence followed. Then, out of nowhere, April turned to Peter and asked, "Hey, Peter… remember Emily?"
"Oh, hell yes! That girl was such a snobby bitch. Every time I'd try to talk to her she'd just turn around and pretend I didn't exist."
"Um, maybe that's because you were kind of a jerk, Peter."
"Well, okay, that might have been part of it. But still."
"Oh, and remember Ophelia?"
"How could I forget? She was my first kiss, you know."
"Wait, really? No way! Holy… you and Ophelia?"
"You didn't know? She didn't exactly stick around, though. I think she sort of figured out that I was a jerk."
"Sheesh, you and Ophelia… I still can't believe it."
"Hey, remember that time when she…."
No more training was done that day – Peter and April were too busy reminiscing about a time before Space Pirates or Pokémon training. It was an odd coping mechanism, but it seemed to work. It worked well enough, in fact, that they never really stopped. The two of them kept talking through dinner and into the night until bedtime. They all went to bed very early, since they'd have to wake up very early too.
Nobody slept particularly well that night.
"Wake up," said Samus. "It's time."
Peter groaned. He picked up his Pokédex and looked at the clock on it. "S'only three," he slurred. "We don gots ta leave till four, 'ight?"
"No," said Samus, "we have to be inside Mt. Coronet at four, at latest. And first we have to walk there. And before that, you have to get dressed and get ready. So get moving. We don't have much time to spare." She closed the door and left the three teenagers and their Pokémon to their privacy.
"Ugh, I'm too tired to save the world," Tom complained. But they all forced themselves out of bed nonetheless.
Fifteen minutes later, the kids had gotten dressed, gotten ready, and were eating breakfast in the kitchen downstairs. Despite how early it was, and how little sleep he'd gotten, Tom wasn't the least bit tired. He seemed rather tense. It was only mildly cold in the cabin, yet he was shivering something fierce. Was he shivering because of the cold, or out of anxiety? Or, perhaps, was it… anticipation? I honestly couldn't tell.
When they were all finished eating, they took turns going to the bathroom – it could be a long time before they got another chance to do so. Finally, they gathered in the reception area. Each trainer had one Pokémon with them: Tom had Manny; Peter had Vaporeon; April had Flareon; Jude had Arcanine. "Ready?" asked Samus, who was now wearing her armor. The four kids said they were. "Then let's go." She opened the door and led them all out onto the snowy ground, into the freezing night.
Samus had told them not to order fire-type moves, since it would draw attention to them in the darkness. So the trainers had to struggle uphill through several feet of snow, much of which had frozen over. It was a very slow process. Despite the darkness, the moon made their destination perfectly visible. The fat crescent moon touched the horizon behind Mt. Coronet. Pocket's moon always appeared very big, since it was so close, but Mt. Coronet was so tall that its tip was just above the top of the moon, and its base was just below its bottom. "Now there's something you don't see every day," Tom marveled, taking the sight in.
"No kidding," April agreed.
As they walked uphill, the mountain seemed to cover up more and more of the moon until they could barely see the crescent of light at all. They were in the mountain's shadow, casting them in near-total darkness. Only starlight lit their way now. Thanks to the lack of city lights, the sky was completely filled with stars. Tom frequently looked up and gazed wondrously at them.
It took them slightly longer than expected to get to Mt. Coronet. Nonetheless, there they were. A mammoth wall of rock awaited them. Samus didn't say any words of encouragement or advice before entering the cave. She simply walked in and waited for the others to follow.