There weren't many times when Athena and Finn were separated. Normally she would be somewhat nervous, being separated from her trainer, but right now she was fine. He was in safe hands.
It relieved Athena to no end that Finn was doing well. Aside from his breakdown two days ago, Finn was healthy. He had finally gotten enough rest to keep up with his auric output and general activity. He hadn't had any seizures or blackouts either, which was a major positive considering how crippling his condition could be. In fact, he was flourishing.
Finn was training with his father, learning to better master his strange abilities. Just that morning he had managed to channel his ghostly power into offensive constructs. It was incredibly impressive, especially given that humans weren't supposed to be able to do that. He had even attempted a flash cannon the other day, and despite failing to make the attack work properly the fact that he got that close to it was a great sign. There was every chance that, eventually, he might be able to do all of the same things Athena could and more.
But she wasn't needed right now. That meant that she was left to her own devices for the first time in…
About a year and a half.
Huh.
It felt weird, to be without Finn. Not necessarily bad, but… weird. Like a part of herself had taken a vacation. She could only imagine that Finn felt similarly.
It never bothered Athena that Finn spoke for her. There was nothing she had to say that he didn't also say. They understood one another. But right now she wasn't needed.
Instead, she was free to roam in the indoor network of environments that were connected to the yard. She hadn't noticed them before, since by default they were behind a holographic wall. But since the trainers were planning, their pokémon were released into the yard to spend some free time. As it turned out, none of the visiting champions had brought more than three or four pokémon on their person – except Red, who had a full team of six. That kept the yard from getting overpopulated, fortunately. If they needed, those champions would retrieve the rest of their teams via the computers.
Still, despite technically being on a break, Athena felt as though she had some responsibility. She was Finn's first pokémon, and as such it was her duty to make sure that the others were doing fine.
Athena started by heading over to the aquatic accommodations. She hadn't talked to Bastion in a while, and it would be a good idea to make sure he was getting along with the guests.
She went down the tunnel until the sound of water flowing and pokémon voices conversing made itself clear.
"I really don't like it up here, honestly." Athena recognized Bastion's voice. "It's so much dryer than lower elevations. I dehydrate so quickly."
"Tell me about it darling." This one was vaguely familiar, and Athena eventually placed it as belonging to Miles, Zane Ferris' Milotic. "My scales crack so much in this dry air. I wish I didn't have to be here so much."
"You'll get used to it." This one was unfamiliar. "I've spent a lot of time on a mountain – Mount Silver, specifically – and eventually you adapt."
At this point, Athena floated into the doorway to see the pool. Bastion was in the shallow end, with the milotic curled up a short distance away. Deeper in was a blastoise, a particularly strong-looking one too. Its aura blazed with a faint rainbow outline, proof of its power. Floating serenely in the deepest part of the pool was a lapras, this one with the same rainbow tinge to its aura. Slumbering in the bottom of the pool was a massive sea serpent; a gyarados.
As Athena entered the room, Bastion twisted to look at her. "Oh heya Athena. How're you?"
"Doing fine." Athena bobbed. "Just checking in."
"I'm good. As I was telling these guys, the altitude is screwing with my ability to stay hydrated," Bastion said. "You met Miles already, but this is Blastoise and Lapras, and the big guy taking a nap is Crusher."
"A pleasure to meet you all. I'm Athena." Athena put one sash in front of herself, tilting forwards to imitate a bow.
"'sup." Blastoise nodded.
"The pleasure is mine." Lapras bowed her head. "Bastion has said many good things about you."
"He has?" Athena turned to look at the toxapex, who fidgeted a little bit. "Thank you Bastion."
"Aw, it was nothing." Bastion shook his head.
"Well, if everything's all good, I think I'll go check on everyone else. It was good to meet you all," Athena said.
"Hey, uh, if you see Cookie or Crai, can you tell them the plan with the chocolate pudding is still on?" Bastion asked.
"I'll… I'll pass it on." Athena narrowed her eye. Another prank, probably.
"Thanks!" Bastion grinned.
Athena floated back through the door she entered from, resuming her trip down the corridor. After a couple minutes of travel, she reached a cave-like chamber. She paused, peering in when she heard shouting coming from within.
"I told you, dragons only!" Growled a thunderous voice. The speaker was a hydreigon, and she was shouting at a stout figure.
Cookie scratched the side of his head. "You let the dog in."
Indeed, past the hydreigon was a pool of lava, with an arcanine lounging next to the magmatic puddle. On the other side of the pool was a charizard, with that rainbow tinge to his aura that Athena had come to associate with Red and his pokémon. A trio of dragonite sat in one corner, playing cards with their oversized hands. Also in a back corner a haxorus and a druddigon were having a quiet conversation. To one side was a garchomp, who had curled up and fallen asleep.
"Rex at least is regal. Moreso than the likes of you." The hydreigon leaned closer to Cookie.
"Yeah, but I'm a dragon…?" Cookie spread his arms wide. "Why can't I join your exclusive club?"
"You? You are not a dragon." The hydreigon snorted.
"Tetra, stop antagonizing everyone," The haxorus called over. "The cave isn't-,"
"Well I say it's exclusive," Tetra the hydreigon shouted. "And I'm not letting some runt in!"
Cookie was using the hydreigon's distraction to perform some kind of battle dance. The energy channeled reminded Athena of her own swords dance, but faster. More frantic and primal. Cookie's form became wreathed in red and blue energy, and when the hydreigon's attention returned to him, he looked its main head in the eyes.
"You ever study type matchups?" The scrafty asked.
"Why would I-,"
Cookie slammed his cranium into the dragon's central head, their foreheads meeting with an unpleasant crack. Tetra crumpled, falling to the ground in an ungraceful heap.
"Do you know type matchups?" Cookie demanded of the haxorus.
The haxorus slowly nodded, looking at the unconscious form of the hydreigon.
"Good." Cookie nodded, then turned around and headed away from the cave. "I don't even want in your little club."
Cookie waved to Athena as he passed, as if what had just happened was normal. Maybe it was, for him.
Athena continued down the hall.
Only a short distance away was a massive chamber constructed at the top of a ravine. The massive drop-off fell what looked like hundreds of feet. This room was a safe place for flying pokémon, especially since most of the time flying around outside was a hazard. Knowing that the Wardmind existed completely changed the reason why, but it didn't change the fact that flying near the mountain was far too risky.
As Athena entered the room, a huge white shape swooped up past her, did a loop, and swept back into the ravine. A moment later, a gray shape did the same, albeit far less gracefully. The togekiss and aerodactyl dove back and forth, playing an elaborate acrobatic game with one another.
On the other side of the ravine was a pair of familiar forms. In a web strung up between the floor and wall was the squat form of Jitters. Nearby was Nyx, who looked like she was trying to psych herself up to dive into the abyss.
Athena quickly made her way over, and it seemed both arthropods noticed because the turned to greet her.
"Hey you two. How are you?"
"Hi Athena!" Nyx said cheerily. Jitters chittered a happy greeting, devoid of words. "We're doing well."
"Are you having a good time?" Athena asked. "I know Finn hasn't been able to train with us…"
"No, it's okay! He's been busy," Nyx said. "I just hope he's okay, you know?"
"Finn's okay. Better, even. He's healthier than he has been for most of the time we've known him." Athena paused. "I just… wanted to make sure you two aren't getting bored."
"Oh no, Fluff taught us a new game. Here he comes now."
As Nyx said, the togekiss flew up the side of the ravine at that moment and perched on the edge.
"Hi!" The fairy greeted happily. "You guys ready?"
"Yup!" Nyx nodded.
"Okay, I'll go get ready."
Just like that, the fairy was flying back down again.
Jitters began to make complex patterns of webbing, making them for something special, clearly. Nyx bounced excitedly. Athena couldn't tell what they were up to, and she had the feeling it wouldn't make sense even if it was explained to her.
"Well, have fun, I guess. I'll go back and see how Crai and Belle are doing."
Athena left as Jitters tossed a lasso of spider silk into the pit, Fluff the togekiss zipping through it in a blur.
Originally Athena had decided it was best not to interrupt Crai and Belle's training. But now that she had gone and visited everyone else, it was time to head back to the main yard and see what those two were up to at the moment.
Back past the dragon cave, where the hydreigon was just waking up and the haxorus was very patiently explaining to her that, no, you can't raze the entire headquarters for another League just because some scrafty knocked you out in one hit. Past the pool room, where the water types were still having a pleasant chat. Back into the yard proper, with its battle arenas marked out on the ground.
In one of those arenas, Belle and Crai were practicing. They had fallen into a rhythmic dance of sorts, with Belle on the offense and Crai focusing on dodging. The next arena over was a rapid battle between Kasparov the bisharp and Darling the lopunny. Neither seemed to have the upper hand at the moment, but from experience the edge was probably in Darling's favor. Cookie was off to one side, watching Crai's fluid movements with an approving nod.
As much as she disliked interrupting them, Athena floated forwards and made a loud metallic noise. Crai froze, causing Belle to strike him upside the head. Athena winced in sympathy, but Crai just laughed it off.
"'Sup," The gardevoir said, rubbing the spot he had been hit. He was using some kind of move to heal it, so Athena felt less bad about it. "You need us for something?"
"Sorry, I'm just making sure you two are doing okay," Athena explained.
"Well, aside from a bit of soreness that'll go away soon, I'm doing fine," Crai answered.
"I'm okay," Belle said. "A little bored, but otherwise fine."
"Okay." Athena bobbed. She paused for a moment as something came back to her conscious stream of thought. "Oh, Bastion said something about the chocolate pudding plan still being on?"
From the other arena, Kasparov sputtered and stepped away from his opponent. The bisharp put one hand up in a gesture for time out. "Whoah, what? Chocolate pudding?"
"I swear if you're going to make a huge mess…" Darling warned, putting her paws on her hips.
"Nah, don't sweat it," Cookie interjected. "We just need a rubber chicken and a convenient place to put them, and we'll have it ready."
"I…" Athena began, only to stop. "You know what, not my problem."
"Can we get back to our duel?" Darling asked.
"Yeah, ye-," Kasparov was cut off as a foot whipped past his face, and he quickly backpedaled to avoid the follow-up.
"We're going to get back to it now, too," Crai said. "Thanks for checking in Athena."
"Of course." Athena bobbed.
As the action resumed, Athena floated away. It seemed they didn't need her. That was… an odd feeling. She wasn't sure she liked it.
Athena floated past the trees, hoping to find a quiet place to contemplate. After a little searching, she found the entrance to a small room.
The inside of the room was dead silent, and it was no wonder why. Fezzick the alakazam and Napoleon the grumpig were both in there, meditating. A pair of unfamiliar beldum and a metang she didn't recognize were hovering silently in front of Xollen the metagross. Xollen was looking better already – having so many experts in one place helped – and he could open both eyes now. The four steel types were in some kind of psychic communion, it seemed. That was what they did.
And, in one corner, tucked away from sight, was a small alcove. Inside was something dark and foreboding. Its presence licked at the edge of her being.
She decided to investigate.
Athena floated silently across the quiet room into the alcove. There she saw a weathered stone, with a single rune on the front. As Athena approached, the rune illuminated with a sinister purple glow, and a voice that was as quiet as a whisper and as forceful as a shout emitted from within. A chorus of voices united into a single purpose.
-We MeAn YoU nO hArM.-
A spiraling vortex of purple and green spewed from the stone, first a spinning cloud before the patterns resolved into a face with a jagged grin. Athena raised both sashes, channeling a shadow ball.
"You can't be here," Athena said, just a breath. "We left you in Geistom. You can't be here."
-iT WouLd SeeM ThAt yOu haVe Run iNTo oNe of Us BeFoRe.- The jagged face tilted to one side. –KnoW ThaT wE aRe NoT lIkE mOsT oF oUR KiND.-
Athena didn't falter. "Prove it."
The spiritomb nodded. –SuCh TraUmA iS UnDerStAnDaBle. BuT wE arE tRaInEd bY oUr MiStResS Cynthia.-
Only then did Athena lower her sashes, dispelling the attack. "Y-you're a champion's pokémon?"
Once again the spiritomb nodded, and when it spoke it was not as a chorus. It was several different voices, a new one picking up right where the last one ended.
-We are Legion-
-Like all spiritomb, we were once evil-
-But our Mistress Cynthia has taught us that we need not be imprisoned forever-
-The keystone only holds the cruel-
-The apathetic-
-The evil-
-Mistress Cynthia taught us that if we can change, we will become free-
-And many of us already are-
-We are not a prison any longer-
-We are a support group- The spiritomb said. –All souls within us are working together. To become better-
"That's… an admirable goal," Athena admitted. "I'm sorry I judged you early."
-Do not be sorry-
-Our kind is deserving of fear and loathing-
"Still, I should know better. My own species is known for brutality, and I know that there are exceptions to any-,"
She stopped, not because Xollen at that moment woke up and scolded her for speaking in the quiet of the cave. But because another voice had entered her mind without bothering to stop at her ears.
-There are five hundred hybrids complete. Half are under Ghetsis' control. The other half are incomplete or incapable of combat. An additional hundred individuals have been Sequenced and granted supernatural or superhuman capabilities. All hybrids are capable of combating a full team of averagely trained pokémon. Sequenced individuals can handle roughly half that. Power levels vary. There will be one entrance unguarded during the conflict: the laboratory on the eastern side of the base. Good luck.-
As soon as the message ended, Athena looked over at Legion the spiritomb. They looked back. Both of them looked at Xollen.
"Query. Why are you looking at me like that?" The metagross grumbled.
"Did you hear that?" Athena asked. She looked at the spiritomb. "Did you?"
-We did.-
"Negative. Requesting psionic communion."
"Go ahead," Athena said, letting down her guard.
Something cold and analytical entered her mind, picking through the information. After a moment, the metagross made a strange rhythmic humming sound. Behind it, the pair of beldum and the metang echoed the sound. Evidence of their psionic networking still in effect. It took Athena a moment to realize that the steel type was laughing.
"What's so funny?" Athena asked.
"Message received contains the same information as a heavily encoded transmission sent to League computers twenty-four hours prior." The metagross laughed again. "Conclusion: two high-ranking individuals within Team Plasma are traitors. One is highly skilled with computers. The other has a powerful ghost type. Humor derived from oddity of this occurrence."
"Huh." Athena blinked, thinking. "How odd."
-It would appear that some of these people have repented,- Legion said. –As we have.-
"Yeah." Athena bobbed. "I… I need to tell Finn. I think he'll find this very interesting."