Chapter 35: Tribal Awakening
The interior of Chieftess Hera's room was coated with dozens of pearls of diverse sizes, all arranged in vein-like patterns along the wall and ceiling. Two pools were situated next to a gentle waterfall, in front of which was a large stone pillar. The top was carved into a throne, where a magnificent Primarina sat, looking directly at the three visitors to her realm.
Hera held out her flippers and calmly stated, "Welcome again Cosma, child of the sun and moon, and her guardians." She shook her head and added, "Please excuse our behavior from before. We've been on edge about the Ultra Beast threat ever since the Lycanroc took two of our own. We weren't sure what to expect, and we assumed that you were part of those Ultra Beasts."
Ren held up his fist and exclaimed, "Believe me, we saw one of those creeps, and we are not one of them. What are Lycanroc anyways?"
Hera made a passive wave. "They don't matter. If I remember correctly, you were trying to find us, that way you can have us ferry you to Bulu Island?"
Cosma nodded. "We need to get there as soon as we can! Chief Kernus must be worried sick about me!"
Hera nodded slowly in reply. "Yes, I know him well, and would agree. We would be leaving before our planned time, but that can easily be changed. We must leave by tomorrow, especially considering the danger you have described to me." She leaned forward, flipping her tail around languidly. "Before I begin any preparations, I want to ask your companions some questions. I can't have unfamiliar Pokémon within a valuable ferry such as our own."
Cosma hovered back, Sion and Ren now standing in front of her. "Whatever you have to ask, they'll answer! I'm great friends with them after all!" The two schoolmates looked at each other uneasily, unsure of what to expect.
Hera slid down from her throne, water spraying outward, and she came to a stop in front of Ren. She held herself high and asked, "Have you suffered any loss?"
Ren's eyes flashed, and he stepped back unsteadily. "W-Why do you ask?"
"Having one to relate to can be a valuable thing, especially judging by your nasty temper. You see, here in this place, there's few deaths, thanks to Tapu Fini's power." She turned her head aside, looking into one of the pools. "Although, it does happen on occasion. While out on a scouting trip for food, my sister was attacked by a Wishiwashi, and didn't survive. You know the power of the Wishiwashi well, don't you?" The memory flashed through the explorer's minds, the might well-remembered.
She turned back to Ren and said once more, "Have you ever suffered loss?"
Ren glanced at Sion and replied begrudgingly, "My mom died while out with my dad. I haven't felt the same since."
Hera gestured to Sion. "And you?"
Sion felt Arthus' presence nag at his mind as he replied. "My dad disappeared when I was little. I wasn't very close to him, but it'd be nice to see him again."
The Chieftess brushed past them and exclaimed, "That is all I need to hear. Aria, the one who brought you here, will guide you to your rooms. We'll leave in the morning." She held the seaweed curtain open as they exited, following Aria as she guided them down the tunnels to their room.
"Welcome, Forgotten Explorers. I am Avera, elder of the Decidueye tribe. You have come from far away, have you not?" A thin, reedy Decidueye asked. She saw a rough nest made from straw and feathers, gazing lazily at her visitors. She had patches of white down visible along her body, barely covered by a simple shawl made from woven-together feathers.
The hut was decorated with various painting on wooden planks, all depicting some part of the Decidueye's history. Various trinkets hung by bits of string from the ceiling, rocking gently with the breeze that carried through. Nearly dead candles sat on the scattered chairs and tables, all burning with a steady, half-gone light.
Ekon, Gaiden, Frederick sat on low chairs, the Greninja sitting cross-legged, while Yurok perched a wooden branch set on a stand, overseeing them from above.
Ekon cleared his throat and replied, "Uh, yes, yes we have. Now, what is it exactly you want to talk to us about?"
Avera leaned her head back and laughed weakly. "Hoo hoo hoo, you're straight and to the point, aren't ya? Not like old Avera I see." She began to preen her neck feathers, pausing their conversation.
Yurok leaned in and whispered, "She's a very old bird; I believe she even served my grandfather as elder. So, she may have lost some of her sense."
Avera shot up and eyed Yurok viciously. "I may be old, but I'm still your elder. So, respect me!" Yurok huddled down and bowered, looking rather shameful for a chief of a tribe.
The elder turned back to her guests and sighed. "Excuse my temper; my mind isn't like it used to be. Ever since those cursed Ultra Beasts came to our island, things have been chaotic in both the physical and spiritual worlds. Wild Pokémon attack more frequently and viciously, as you saw with the Lycanroc below, and terrible storms occur as well. Thank Tapu that there hasn't been one for the past few days." She paused, wheezing, the candlelight fading slightly.
Frederick grumbled, crossing his arms. "Yer tellin' me. That storm combined with a Wishiwashi and a blasting alien wrecked me ship! Until we help little Cosma and her brother get up those two mountains, we won't have a chance of making any sort of craft viable to get us back home."
Avera laughed once more, the candles becoming stronger once more. "Ah yes, the continents beyond the mist. Very far from here. Tell me, how did you lose track of that adorable child of the sun and moon? You were her protectors, were you not?"
Ekon scratched the back of his head sheepishly and replied, "Technically we were supposed to be the trainers of her protectors, Sion Zoroark and Ren Lucario. We lost them when our ship wrecked, and we've been trying to rejoin them ever since."
Avera nodded sagely, several feathers dropping from her head. "Oh yes, the Sons of Life and Death. Fate has much in store for them…as well as for you three. But other matters first, would you like to know that your three lost children are currently gathering the help of an important tribe within the islands, the Primarina? Those Pokémon take an annual voyage across the islands for the chiefs to gather, and I know that those young Pokémon are well on their way to getting their cooperation."
Frederick eyed her warily, leaning on his leg. "How d'you know so much? We haven't seen head nor tail o' these guys since we came 'ere, and now you tell us exactly where they are? What are you?"
"I am the Elder of the Decidueye of course! I was blessed by the great Tapu Lele years ago, to receive revelation to guide this tribe and the other islands to greatness! Only three other tribes share this honor, and they would be the Kommo-o, the Yungoos, and the Passimian, two of which are where the other child of the sun and moon is." She coughed, covering her beak with one of her wings. She looked down sadly, the candles dimming. "I fear my time grows short, however. I must do what the Tapu deem necessary to save us." Ekon was about to ask another question but she held up her wing and shouted, "Enough! I must say my piece, then you may say yours!" Ekon shrunk down on his seat, the furious eyes of the Elder bearing down on him.
She coughed once more, directing her gaze to Gaiden. "You have the clarity of the night, don't you? You were prized for it, and what happened because of it?"
Gaiden closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, but I do! I know you were the son of a respected leader, in the place you call the Archipelago of Cretea! I know that you were considered a legend reincarnated, for a distant ancestor shared your shade, and he helped to shape your former clan! I know that there were those jealous of it, and in the night, they—"
"Enough!"
Gaiden stood up and glared at her, breathing heavily and holding his hands out, stars of water hovering in the air around him. Yurok had dove in and stood in front of the elder, drawing a feather arrow and aiming it at the maddened Greninja. Frederick and Ekon had scrambled to their feet and stared speechless at him, neither seeing such a reaction in his life.
Avera pushed Yurok gently away, standing up shakily. She laid a wing over Gaiden shoulder, and cooed softly. "I have the ability to see the past and future, just as Tapu Lele does. She saw the anguish you suffered, and what made you the most stubborn, silent, and powerful Greninja Equivos has seen." She gestured to Frederick and Ekon, and then added, "I believe it is time to tell your story to your companions, just as they have said theirs."
The water dropped from Gaiden's hands, and the Greninja made a shuddering sigh. He sat down on his chair, as did the others, and the candlelight's dimmed once more.
Gaiden clenched his black-skinned hands, then relaxed. "I wasn't from Serenita, as you were. I roamed Cretea with my former clan, made only of water-types. Many centuries ago, it was organized by my ancestor, Gachon Greninja, and had the Shiny Disorder, just as I do. Some years later, a Samurott took over in a battle of dominance with one of his descendants, and for generations, they ruled. My grandfather fought back for control, and eventually made us the leaders again.
"When I hatched, my parents were proud, fully expecting their son to be just as his distant ancestor was. I was given the best food, learning, and treatment, all by my father and the supporting clan. I was having the time of my life, growing up in an ocean where there were no limits to what you could do.
"Of course, there were some who despised that. The Samurott family my grandfather had dethroned were still bitter over their loss. The former chieftain's son, Kirwe, wanted to have leadership, thinking himself as mighty as the chief who lived in the time of Laryon, Derin Samurott. But he knew that my father was strong in combat, using an ability we call Protean to give himself increased power. He stood no match in a fight against him. But, knowing that even if he waited for when he was old, I would take power, and the legends of my ancestor had convinced them I wouldn't be taken down either.
"Jealous of both the treatment that I and my father received - thinking that he deserved it - and his desire for leadership, he came into my tent in the middle of the night, along with several of his supporters, and killed him in his sleep. The other Pokémon that wanted him leader killed my mother, all my friends, even Kirwe's father, who was against his plan. They left me, the best Pokémon since the dawn of our clan, behind."
He slammed the ground, breathing deeply to keep his anger under control. "After all that, Kirwe abandoned me on the mainland, saying that he was glad to see my prideful attitude fade, thinking that everything was given to me to use. He wanted me to learn how to truly lead, through force, not by the guidance of my parents." He leaned forward, setting his hands over his eyes. "Days later, I was found by my old master, Kaerus Slowking. He helped me overcome my sadness, and left me at Lucario Guild when I was old enough to take the test, that way I could prevent anyone else like Kirwe from ruining lives." He then stood up, and left the hut, standing outside and taking deep, meditative breaths.
Minutes passed by, and all remained silent, until Gaiden returned, taking back his seat in front of Avera. The owl made a wavering breath, grabbing a wooden container that hung around her neck. "Ever since that day, you've been unwilling to build trust with many, worried that you'd lose them just as you lost your tribe. You remain quiet, to be unnoticed in the hope that you won't have to deny someone their companionship." She pulled the container over her neck and added, "That is what you've done, yes?" Gaiden nodded.
Avera held the contained out to him, cradling it gently in her feathers. "I cannot heal that pain, Gaiden. But it is time to let go of that past. You have survived the dangers of my home, and many more from your own. Why prolong what you've always hoped to come?"
Gaiden took the cylinder shakily, a tear falling down his face. Avera coughed once more, the candles growing dimmer. "Ekonmer?" she wheezed. He leaned in, her voice becoming weaker.
"That box contains the scales of Tapu Lele, which I have saved over my many years serving her. It heals many wounds, including the one on your arm. Use it, and save the remaining scales for the future, when a bleak moment in a youth's life returns." She whispered. Ekon nodded, looking down at the package that Gaiden now held close to his chest.
Avera motioned for Yurok to come, and he did. "I have enjoyed serving you these past years, grandson. Guide these three to those they have lost, and I can die in peace."
Yurok grabbed her shoulders and exclaimed, "You are going to be well! You can't leave us now, not when the Ultra Beasts are threatening us!"
Avera brushed a wing against his beak, her eyes fluttering closed. "May I meet you again in the Tree of Life…" She exhaled one last time, and the candles extinguished, their smoke invisible in the darkness that overcame them.
The dawn arose once more in the Forgotten Isles, the sun rising and illuminating the tops of the dark forest of Koko. The occasional Pikipek darted above the trees, stealing away from the Lycanroc trackers that lurked below. The seas, calm and tranquil for the fifth day, patted gently against the coastline, washing away any remnants of the newcomers to the land.
The river that flowed from a raised cavern strengthened, becoming a torrent that thrust away anything within it. A massive creak and the cry of young Pokemon echoed from within, along with the cheerful voices of many others.
Suddenly, a massive, ornately carved boat emerged from within, shooting into the water with over two dozen Primarina, a Zoroark, a Lucario, and Cosmog in tow. Twelve of the Primarina had harnesses around their bodies, tied to the prow of the boat, sitting closest to the edge.
The boat hit the water with a crash, and the Primarina leapt out of the boat and dove into the water. The boat began to turn as the harnessed Pokemon veered toward the island with the imposing plateau, while the others surrounded the boat in a circular formation.
Ren looked over the edge, watching as marine Pokemon fell into a swoon by the Soloist Pokemon, sinking deeper into the water in sleep. "This is awesome! We're finally getting to Bulu, and we get a cool show along the way!"
Hera popped out from the water and replied, "We'll be staying close to the coast until we gather more food for the journey. Until then, stay put." She dove underneath once more, leaving Sion, Ren and Cosma to float on the boat.
Sion brushed a claw against the woodwork, admiring the workmanship of their vessel. The sides were low for easy access, and there were three benches supported horizontally by the frame. Exquisite carvings were scattered all throughout, depicting Primarina, an owl, Yungoos, and all sorts of other Pokemon from the Tapu Islands.
"What a marvelous thing, a boat. This is your plan to get to this Kommo-o tribe?" Arthus stated.
Sion looked up and scowled. "What else would we do? At least we got something quick."
"Yes, indeed…it's certainly designed for easy coming and going, isn't it?" Arthus wondered.
Sion looked at the sides, noticing that they were noticeably lower, which made for a great pleasure cruise, but not the safest of vessels. "I guess so…what's your point?"
"Let's hope a storm doesn't roll in. I'd hate to be out in the great blue while in this thing." Arthus answered, chuckling. His presence left Sion's mind, and he couldn't but feel disconcerted by it.
"Are preparations ready?" Buzzwole demanded, standing in the center of the seven thrones. All the Ultra Beasts were present, standing alongside Buzzwole, watching as Xurkitree plugged his wires into various crystals, blinking rapidly with each connection. Pheromosa and Nihilego stood next to the giant Ultra Beast, patiently waiting for Xurkitree to finish.
"*zzt* We cannot rush this Buzzwole. I have to make sure we have enough energy stored to jumpstart the synthesization processes when we close the wormhole."
"Make sense, brainiac."
"The crystals must have enough power to start the creation process again. If there isn't, it will take days to start once more, and if we want to complete the connection of Ultra Space and Equivos in 17 days, we have to make it work!"
Buzzwole muttered to himself, cracking his knuckles. "As long as I can finish off that Cosmog, it will all be worth it."