Hey guys, I know there was a bit of a delay with this one, and truth be told I've had it mostly finished sitting on my pc for a little while now, but I've just not had time to finish it up. There has been a lot of things pulling my time in different directions lately, and its been a struggle to keep my regular scheduled hobbies up.
Either way here it is, I hope you enjoy!
The War of Shadows
Chapter 6
History
? Region – Ember's Hideout
The Waystone inside the base began glowing fervently, its runic engravings flashing on and off. Bright azure light filled the room in a brief flash before a figure materialized above it. Clad head to toe in dark leather armour, Achillia tore free her mask and stepped from the ancient stone. In one hand, she clasped a piece of paper with a detailed drawing covering one side.
Quickly, she made her way through the base, receiving salutes from the various members of their organisation going about their everyday tasks. A brief nod of recognition was all she would spare them. She had too much work to do.
Briefly knocking the code and entering, she stepped into the boss's room and went down on one knee, offering the piece of paper up above her head. "Mission complete, sir!"
The masked man stood from behind his desk, reaching out to take the paper. He examined its contents, although it was impossible to tell where his eyes were looking. For a small while the only sounds in the room were the mechanisms within his mask performing their daily functions, and its slow, rhythmic exhalation of purified air.
"Very good." He finally said, intoning with one of his gloved hands for her to rise. "You've mapped it near perfectly."
"Does it look right?" Achillia asked, standing. She reached up behind her head to release her hair from the bun it was trapped in, letting her long dark hair spill free down her back.
He nodded. "Exactly as I remember it. I would say it hasn't changed in all these years, but it's simply that it hasn't changed yet."
She nodded in understanding, a pained look crossing her face. Her hands briefly balled into tightened fists.
"Bruno and Caitlin have prepared the way for your arrival at the League HQ at Indigo Plateau." He said, placing the paper down on his desk. "Don't fail me, Achillia. You're the only one left I trust. You know what's at stake."
Her deep, cerulean eyes narrowed in focus as she stood at attention. "I know more than anyone, sir! I won't let our sacrifices be in vain! We will avenge the Guardians!"
"Then make your preparations and meet them just outside Victory Road. You know the location."
"Sir!" She said, bowing deeply. With a salute she turned and left, moving quickly and with purpose.
The masked man sat back down, glancing down at the paper. Beneath the mechanisms of his mask, a large smile had begun to split what was left of his face. "This time… this time I will make it on time… This time I will save you!"
Kanto Region – Guardian's Settlement
The sun's rays were just peeking through the slits in the blinds when Ash awoke. He sleepily rubbed his eyes to remove any left over sleep and sat upright, groggily looking around the room. He smiled as he glanced down at his girlfriend beside him, still snoozing away peacefully.
"I'm glad last night wasn't a dream…" He whispered, gently leaning over to kiss her on her exposed cheek. Not wishing to disturb her, he carefully crept out of bed and dressed himself, before tiptoeing from the room. It was morning. His stomach was threatening to growl. I know for sure it would wake her up if it did…
As he stepped from the room, a curious yellow head peeked around the corner, before quickly scampering over. "Pika pi!"
"Ah, buddy!" Ash said, grinning. He knelt down and scruffled the head of his partner in crime. "I'm glad you're up! Wanna grab breakfast?"
"Pi!" Pikachu nodded.
"Uh… sorry about that last night…" Ash said sheepishly as they walked down the hallway. "You err… saw us huh?"
Something akin to embarrassment spread across the small mouse's face. "Pika… chu pi pika…"
Ash's eyes widened and he laughed. "Sorry! Sorry! I know I'm bad at this. I'll make it up to you with a second helping of your favourites!"
"Chu!" Pikachu chirped back in agreement.
As the two of them reached the bottom of the stairs, they found the bar area was filled with Guardians, most of whom had seemingly been out all night. "Hey guys…" Ash said, looking around the room in confusion, "What are you all doing up so early…?"
Amongst those gathered, Sir Aaron immediately stood out as the most senior. He shot Ash a look and it instantly conveyed the severity of the situation. Darkness seemed to surround the elder Guardian's eyes, the dark bags beneath them evidence of his sleeplessness. "I won't mince words with you. Leaf's missing."
Ash stopped dead in his tracks. "Missing?!"
Sir Aaron nodded. "She failed to report back from a regular check in during her night patrols. We've had search teams scouring the route with no success as of yet. Charlotte and Erika are currently out there, we've left the rest of it to them."
Upon hearing that two Pillars were searching, Ash instantly relaxed and he sighed in relief. "Well, surely that mean she will be found soon-"
"You've not been here long," Sir Aaron said, cutting him off, "so you probably don't yet understand the seriousness of the situation. Given the circumstances, it's extremely likely we were invaded last night. Since the erection of the barrier around this settlement during the fall of the Old Empire, that has never happened. Not once in a thousand years.
"Within the upper floors of the tower, there lies an encrypted device that was activated during those dark days. The Original Four installed it to be used whenever things were dire enough. The barrier contains an accumulation of all their Auras combined. There is nothing in this world powerful enough to rip through such defences without a sound and within such a short period. It's the reason it's remained intact all this time."
Eyes wide, Ash stood there, his mouth agape. The gears in his head were rapidly processing the ramifications of the breach, and they were leading him to a very uncomfortable answer. "So… does that mean…?"
"Piiii…" His companion said, looking equally shocked.
"There's a traitor among us." Sir Aaron finished.
A slamming sound from the nearby bar made Ash jump, and he turned towards the source of the sound. Sat there was a cloaked figure, an empty glass in their hand stained with the remnants of purple alcohol.
All the gathered Guardians all looked somewhat nervously in their direction as well, unsure as how to react around their superiors.
"Tell me…" Came a familiar female voice. "How is it that our defences are breached for the first time in history two days after you arrive?"
Sir Aaron's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Sabrina." He said, the warning in his tone clear.
Standing from her stool, Sabrina pulled back the hood from her Guardian's cloak, letting her purple hair spill free as she turned to face her old Gym challenger. Her eyes were alight with psychic energy. "I must know the truth Aaron. Stay out of this."
"Or else what?" Her fellow Pillar shot back.
"I will destroy anything that dares threaten what's left of our people!" She said, never taking her eyes off Ash. "Even you."
Her glowing eyes were boring through him, pinning him to the spot. Ash had never felt fear much in his life. It had never been an emotion that had sat long within his mind. No matter the situation, however ridiculous, he found himself in, fear and anxiety had always been foreign. Yet now, under the intensity of her stare, it was as though his heart wanted to escape through his chest. His legs became numb, unable to function. Sweat built around his temples and dripped down his skin as his mouth ran dry. He felt like nothing more than a Weedle laid prone before a ravenous Fearow. I… can't move… I can't… do anything!
Sabrina reached out with one hand as she approached him, purple energy flaring around it. "I will expose your secrets, Ash Ketchum!"
Behind him azure light blossomed into life as terrifying winds suddenly burst through the bar, whipping everyone's hair and clothing about wildly. Glasses and bottles that had been stood loose were flung to the floor, and the sound of shattering glass was added to the cacophony. The air began to thrum with unleashed energy and a distinct heaviness settled upon everyone's consciousness. "You will not take another step further, Sabrina!" Came the booming voice of Sir Aaron, his authority enhanced by his unleashed power.
Sensing the threat, she activated her own Aura, mixing it with her psychic abilities. Purple and azure power filled the bar, clashing against one another like a bizarre art piece made manifest. The wills of the two Pillars clashing in real time made visible.
Everyone else present could barely breath, let alone move. Seasoned Guardians, themselves over a century old, stood in a terrified stupor, unable to intervene in the slightest. Two of the strongest and eldest among them were at each other's throats. Even if they found the courage, none had the ability to stop such powerhouses.
"What's all this commotio-" Came May's voice as she stepped down the stairs, her hand still above her mouth as she stifled a lazy yawn. Her voice cut off as she saw the tempestuous clash engulfing the bar.
Ash whirled on the sound of her voice, his eyes wide. "May!"
"Huh?" She simply asked, confusion written all over her features. Her own eyes wide, she stared back at her boyfriend's, unsure as to what was happening or what to do.
Then, without warning, all the unleashed energies in the room began to move. They converged around May's hands, seeping into her flesh. It began as a trickle before turning into a flood, purple and azure light flowing rapidly toward the young Guardian as she stood there in absolute shock and confusion. "Ash! What is happening?!" She suddenly screamed.
Both Sir Aaron and Sabrina whirled on her, their eyes wide in horror.
"She has it too?!" Aaron said, shutting his Aura off.
"This is bad!" Sabrina said, cutting off her power immediately, already running towards the young Maple.
Swirling around her arms in a fused matrix of psychic and auric energies, May's wide eyes could only stare at them in bewilderment. With each second she noticed more and more of it seeping into her, filling her with power. It was more power than she'd ever experienced, and it was rapidly overwhelming her ability to control it. "I can't stop it!" Was all she could shout as she desperately began flailing her arms about.
Both Pillars quickly took hold of her arms and closed their eyes, their minds reading the energies within her body.
"This isn't good." Sir Aaron said through clenched teeth. "Her vessel will break unless we vent this now! Sabrina, you know what to do!"
"On it!" The head Saffron said. Grabbing May by her shoulders, she glared deep into her eyes, psychic energy flooding her gaze. Within moments May's face went blank, her body going limp. Sir Aaron was already waiting behind her, and caught her before she could fall.
"What is-" Ash said, his eyes still as wide as saucers.
Before he could utter another word, May's eyes snapped back open, although the look within them had changed. As this happened, Sabrina's body fell to a kneeling position, head lowered. Without another word, May's body flooded with psychic energy, a swirling vortex of power erupting out of her stomach, engulfing her entire body. A second later she was gone, having teleported out in the blink of an eye.
Off in the distance an almighty explosion could be heard, accompanied by an ear-shattering boom and a rumbling earthquake that shook the earth beneath their feet.
"Thank Arceus she made it in time!" Sir Aaron sighed in relief. "To think she had it as well…"
"What? What just happened?!" Ash asked, with increasing alarm. "Where's May?! What's happening to her?!"
Sir Aaron held up his hand. "Calm yourself, she's safe now. Had we known she possessed such an ability, none of this would have happened."
"What ability?" Ash asked.
"So... neither of you knew, huh? That explains a lot." Sir Aaron said, moving to pick Sabrina's lifeless body up by the shoulder and carry her over to a nearby chair. "What young May just exhibited was something we simply refer to as Energy Absorption. It's something that only a handful of people from the Maple bloodline have been able to do. In fact, only three people in all of existence have ever shown the ability to do it, including May herself."
His chest still tight from the rush of anxiety earlier, Ash stumbled over to a nearby chair himself, his wide eyes now locked on Sir Aaron. "Only three?"
"One of the founders, Elsa; the current Pillar, Charlotte; and now young May. It's an extremely rare bloodline ability that allows its user to take in all energy released in their surroundings and can be used by them as their own. As such it can even be used vampirically, syphoning your opponents' strength for your own. The only limitation is the user themselves. As what just happened with May, if you take in more energy than your vessel can handle, you will simply implode as the mystical forces tear you asunder."
"Wait!" Ash shouted, alarmed. "May's alright, isn't she?!"
"Relax. Sabrina used her psychic abilities to take control of May's mind and vented the built-up power outside, which was that explosion you just felt."
Ash deflated on the chair, all the stress and worry leaving him. "Thank Arceus…"
"Speak of the devil." Sir Aaron said.
"Huh?" Ash asked, looking around.
Seconds later a psychic swirl ripped open spacetime in the middle of the bar and May stepped through, her body radiating purple energies. She quickly grabbed the chair next to Sabrina's unconscious body and sat down. Bringing their foreheads together, she closed her eyes and made contact. The moment their heads touched, Sabrina woke up.
Now back in her original body, the Pillar stood, flexing her fingers and checking herself over. "Good, no damage was done to either soul. I managed to stop any decay."
"Decay?" Ash said, feeling sick to his stomach.
"Ah, it's where a person takes in too much power and it consumes their very being. We use the term 'Soul Decay' to describe it." Sabrina said, matter-of-factly. "Thankfully I was able to prevent such in May's case. She should awaken in about an hour once her soul has realigned itself within her vessel."
Ash simply stared ahead, the mix of emotions he'd been barraged with in the last ten minutes were more than had any right to be felt within such a short amount of time. Taking a deep breath, he stood and made his way over to sit next to his prone girlfriend. "I think I'm gonna need the first drink in my life." He said, taking hold of May's hand.
"Understood." Sabrina nodded, moving over to the bar counter. "I'd recommend a nice vintage port. Should be strong enough to wash away any negative emotions, whilst also being palatable in the morning."
Everyone simply stared at her incredulously as she began carefully picking out the correct bottle amongst those present on the shelf.
"I don't think he was serious, Sabrina." Sir Aaron said.
"You weren't?" She asked, glancing back at the teen. "I do think it might help."
One of the Guardians present started laughing, instantly dispelling any left over tension. "That's our Sabrina!"
Once the spell was broken, the rest of those gathered joined in, and laughter filled the air. Even Sir Aaron suppressed a chuckle. Only Ash and Sabrina herself were left looking around in genuine confusion.
"Don't mind my colleague," Sir Aaron said, turning to face Ash. "She doesn't do subtlety or nuance and will take you at your literal word."
"I see…" Ash said, glancing over at her. "I do like people like that though. At least you know where you stand with them."
"I wouldn't think too much into what happened earlier either. She has a heart of gold and would sooner die than see any harm befall this place and its people. We're all a big family here, after all, and no one cares more than Sabrina. Despite how scary it may have looked, she was merely going to take over your body and scan your memories, which is actually rather harmless to the recipient, however scary on the face of it. Understandably however, without that context, it often terrifies people, and they unwittingly put up their mental barriers. If you struggle as she performs the technique, you can risk both soul and brain damage, which is why I stepped in."
"That explains a lot…" Ash said, shaking his head. "I thought I was gonna die…"
Sir Aaron nodded in understanding. "She can be terrifying when she wants to be, but there's no one you'd want on your side in a battle more than her."
"That I have no issue in believing…"
"Still, I know it's early, but you should watch over May until she comes to. She should be fine, but it's best to make sure."
"You don't need to worry about me, either." Sabrina said, walking over to examine May's head. "When I took over her mind, I was able to see her memories. Thankfully she was with you the entire time, so I've seen your perspective too. I was wrong to suspect you of malice. I apologise."
Ash smiled, visibly relaxing. "It's cool. I know you only had the best interests of all Guardians in mind. I'm glad we have you with us, keeping tabs on everyone."
"It's good to see you again, after all these years." She simply replied, still examining May. "I never imagined you'd end up here with me."
"You can say that again." Ash laughed."
"You both have so much potential. I fear you're going to need it in the days to come. There is something brewing in the world, and it gives me the shivers just thinking about it. This incident with Leaf is merely a symptom, much like what happened to the two of you."
"Yeah, you're right." Ash said, his tone sobering. "There is a darkness building out there. I've sensed it many times before. I've stopped it many times before. I just hope I can be ready for whatever is coming."
Placing a small paw on Ash's shoe, Pikachu looked up at him encouragingly. "Pikachu pi."
Sir Aaron turned to look at the window, watching the clouds pass under the blue sky. "So do we all."
Kanto Region - World Government Headquarters
In the centre of a large, cylindrical room, stood a large, misshapen stone. It jutted up from the ground, spikey and jagged. It looked like a spearhead; an enormous stone javelin thrown from the heavens. Across its impossibly shiny surface was written text in a language unknown to those of modern times. The letters resembled glyphs, and each glistened under the lights shining down from the ceiling.
Stood before it, with one hand on her chin, stood the female World Leader, her eyes fixated on the object that dominated the room. No one else was present, and silence reigned except for the hum of the electrics that powered the lighting. A small smile began to draw up her face as she let her eyes flow over its ancient surface.
The door behind her whirred as its unlocking mechanisms slid the reinforced concrete open. Two sets of footsteps walked inside.
"Lady Amelia?" Caitlin, one of the Unovan Elite Four said, utter confusion clear in her voice. "We didn't mean to disturb you! We had no idea you were here."
"Ah, no worries there. Nobody knows where I am right now." Amelia said, not turning to face her. "I purposely faked my schedule today."
Both Bruno and Caitlin stood stock still in their tracks, mouths agape. They shared a glance with one another. This was not part of their plan. The schedule of the World Leaders that they had gone to great pains to secure had been a trap. They'd fallen right into their enemies' hands without even realising it.
"I don't understand…" Bruno simply said, his voice faltering slightly. "Why would you do such a thing…?"
Ahhhhhh… Amelia thought to herself, her body quivering in excitement. That ever-so-slight break in his tone… the slightest shattering in an otherwise tough exterior… oh how intoxicating this is! Biting her bottom lip to stop herself smirking, Amelia took three carefully planned, methodical steps forwards, until she was mere inches away from the stone. "Do you know how hard we have tried to destroy this rock?"
Bruno and Caitlin shared another look at one another in confusion.
"My lady?" Caitlin asked.
"It has taken the full brunt of every single World Leader's strongest Pokémon at full blast, even with amplifiers, and yet not a single scratch has marred its surface, despite something at some point clearing having written something into its surface. It truly is a wonderful and mystical thing. It defies all known physics, and yet here it stands, its existence alone a defiance to the natural laws of the world." As she finished speaking, Amelia ran a fingertip across the top of the rock, before letting said finger glide down the engravings, feeling out each glyph as though she were reading brail. "I went through great lengths to find it. It's called the Historioglyph, although you both already know that. In all of the World Gov's structure, we're the only three that do. It's older than the government, it's older than the Old Empire, and its knowledge is lost to history."
The two Elite Four members merely stood there, stock still, unsure as to what would happen next. The fact that Amelia knew about their knowledge of such an artefact told them just about how much about them she truly did know. There wasn't a prayer in all the world that they could match her in battle, so their life could literally be snuffed out at any moment, and they both fully understood that. Sweat was beginning to trickle down both of their faces, their breathing slowing to dangerous levels.
"Said to have been carved by the one and only Lentra Ketchum a thousand years ago, it contains a secret about the future and the Missing Decade that only he and his closest advisors knew." Amelia said, finally turning to face them. The second she saw the fear on their faces, she couldn't hold back her pleasure any longer, a predatory smirk splitting her face, her eyes alight with hungry fervour. "Do you happen to know what it says?"
Bruno made a move to reply, but words wouldn't escape his mouth, despite his best efforts. He merely stood there, slapping his jaw open and closed like a flailing Magikarp. I can't… feel my legs! This presence… she's a monster!
Amelia laughed. "Oh no, did I break you? Sorry, sorry! It's a bad habit of mine." She clicked her fingers together. "But you do have someone who does know, don't you?"
Upon hearing the signal, two elite henchmen came into the room, with Achillia held between them, Aura Shackles placed around her wrists, cutting off her power. She was unceremoniously thrown at Amelia's feet.
Achillia glared up at the World Leader, hatred and fury evident in her gaze. "I won't tell you shit." She spat.
"I like those eyes too." Amelia said, smirking down at the Guardian. She knelt, bringing her face an inch away from the other woman's. "You are a fascinating creature, aren't you? It took a lot of effort to dig into your past. Do these two know?"
Achillia's eyes narrowed. "No. They don't."
"Oh, I see. So that's how you and your boss are running things." Amelia said, standing back up. "Interesting! It seems your master isn't dissimilar to myself after all, as I thought. I can't wait for the day he comes to kill me!"
"You're insane." Achillia spat. "You've always been insane."
"Now, now." Amelia said, wagging her finger. "Be careful with your choice of words. Don't want to spill any beans while we're here, do we?"
"What do you want?"
"Down to business already?" Amelia sighed. "Fine, fine. I understand. You do hate my guts after all! But you needn't worry, I have no intentions of capturing any of you, nor do I wish to reveal your plot to the others. I went to great lengths to ensure that no one would find out about this."
The two henchmen she'd ordered to bring Achillia in blinked in surprise at the World Leader's words. They frowned at her in confusion. "My Lady? What are you-"
Their sentences were cut off – along with both of their heads. Ninetails' had blitzed into the room in an instant, its claws flashing faster than the eye could follow. Both heads fell to the floor and rolled, spraying blood everywhere, their bodies dropping a moment later, struggling to keep up with the pace of events.
Everyone's eyes went wide as they watched the two men's severed heads roll to a stop a little way away from them. No one could think of any words to say.
"I do want you to explain to me what's written here, though!" Amelia continued, as though nothing had happened. She hadn't even shot the two dead men's bodies a single glance.
"Demon…" Caitlin whispered, terrified. She was close to wetting herself.
"Stop! You're flattering me!" Amelia laughed.
The first to recover was Achillia, who stood to her feet. "Remove my shackles. I know what you want. Let's get this over with."
Smiling, Amelia reached into her pocket and pulled free a strange bronze key, which she used to promptly remove the Guardian's shackles. "I'm glad you're being so understanding."
"You really never do change, do you? Same face, same attitude." Achillia said, rubbing her wrists. "Even here. Even now."
"Well, it would be impossible for me to verify what you're saying, of course." Amelia said, amusement clear in her tone. "However, it thrills me greatly to know that no matter the circumstances the world finds itself in, I remain a constant, not a variable. Oh and no funny business! Try it and none of you get out of here with your lives, although I'm sure you're perfectly aware of that!"
Standing before the Historioglyph, Achillia let her power flood to her eyes. As her ocular organs began to radiate power, she saw the words inscribed on the stone come to life, imprinting their ancient knowledge directly into her brain. Her eyes shot wide as she saw the information written upon it, her consciousness experienced everything contained within its ancient surface. "Arceus…"
"Ooh! What?! What?!" Amelia asked excitedly. "Have you deciphered it already?!"
"This…" Achillia said, her voice barely above a rasp. "This is…"
Among the sheer amount of shocking revelations barraging them, seeing their First Commander in such a state was among the greatest to the two Elite Four members. In all their time with Ember, they'd only ever seen her calm, collected, and professional. Even the presence of Lady Amelia didn't seem to phase her in the slightest. Seeing her face draining of colour as she read the ancient text was as shell shocking as watching the world crumble before them.
"Lady Achillia…?" Caitlin asked, fearfully. "What is it?"
Amelia raised an eyebrow at the title. "Are you copying me, little Guardian?"
"This…" Achillia continued, her eyes darting from one end of the stone to the other. "We can't possibly reveal all this… there is no way…"
"Well, well!" Amelia purred. "This was definitely worth the investment! Things are getting very interesting! If you wish to leave this room alive, you will have to tell at least me what's been written there, you do know that, don't you? Even if you decide not to leak this to the public like your boss wanted, that's my price for not killing you all right here."
Closing her eyes, Achillia took a deep breath and gathered herself. Making a decision, she turned towards the World Leader. "Very well. It would only be prudent for you to see it yourself. Stand before the stone."
"Excellent!"
"Lady Achillia don't! She can't be trusted with whatever is written there!" Bruno suddenly blurted, his determination briefly overcoming his anxieties.
The First Commander glanced toward her subordinate. "We were going to originally leak the entire contents to the world anyway, per the Boss's orders, giving it to Lady Amelia a few hours in advance in exchange for our lives changes little. Our failure to assess the situation brought about our current circumstances, and I will take full responsibility for whatever happens as a result."
"I think I like you." Amelia said, grinning. "Would you like to become one of my Pokémon Masters?"
"No." Achillia simply said.
"Aww! Please! I promise to give you twice the pay of Cynthia!"
"Stand here, please." The Guardian said, intoning to the space just before the stone.
"Yeah, yeah…" Amelia sighed. "Well, at least I'll get a brief taste of your fabled power…"
"You really did do your homework, didn't you?" Achillia said, this time in genuine admiration. "Not many people know about my unique Aura."
Amelia laughed, closing her eyes. "I always do my homework. I am a real teacher's pet, after all! You have such a fascinating power. An Aura that can infect others… it's almost like a virus in nature."
"Brace yourself. Having no Guardian blood, this might hurt." She said, placing both her hands on either side of the World Leader's head as they became engulfed in azure power. It slowly sank into Amelia's skull, finding its way into her brain and optic nerves.
When the World Leader's eyes snapped open, they were burning bright with the power of the Guardians. A genuine grin of childlike glee engulfed her mouth as her eyes began drinking in everything they could see. "So, this is what it's like! I'd pay the price of this pain a thousand times over for such wondrous gifts! Oh, to be born with your blood!"
Impressive… Achillia thought. The pain she's experiencing is akin to have your eyes forcefully gouged out… The fact she can still enjoy this to such a degree…
I can see so much! No wonder they perform so well in combat! Amelia thought, before resting her eyes on the ancient stone before her. Now then… let's see what had Miss Guardian so spooked, shall we…?
A second after those thoughts left her head, the glyphs burst into light before her enhanced vision, their ancient mechanisms unlocked. Bright light rapidly expanded and engulfed her entire periphery, leaving nothing but its all-encompassing blindness. Light and time began rushing past her, as though she were stood in the centre of an endless tunnel.
This tunnel is made of light itself… No… that's not it…! This is… this is time itself! Amelia thought, her physical body no longer responding. She was drifting through an ethereal realm where everything was in motion. There were no solids. No constants. Only spacetime.
Several other lines of light were flowing past her. She was at once infinitely close and infinitely far away from them. They both existed always within reach and always beyond her grasp. Sounds had simply ceased to be, and all the information that was barraging her consciousness blipped into and out of reality faster than any living being had any ability to capture and record it.
When the light show ended, only the void remained.
Amelia stood there, her body stripped of all clothing, wearing only that what she'd been born with. All around her the universe laid itself as bare as she was, a carpet and ceiling of stars and galaxies. Impossible light bathed her from every angle. A gaping maw of impossible darkness churned away directly beneath her, its edges distorting the fabric of reality itself, as a halo of tortured light sluggishly orbited it.
Within this realm of the impossible, a singular light shone deep into the depths of her brain.
Aaaaahhhhhhhh… I see now…
As quickly as she'd arrived, Amelia was ejected from her surreal, metaphysical experience, spacetime whizzing past her in strings of blurred light. Reality supplanted itself around her, grounding her back into the realm of the living with the grace of an earthquake. The azure power faded from her eyes, leaving only a thrumming, intense pain.
A trickle of blood was now running out of her right nostril.
Shaking and wobbling like a new born faun, Amelia pushed herself to her feet. "I… I…"
Achillia watched the World Leader through a narrowed gaze, and sighed. "There is nothing kept from you now. Will you still plan to let us leave?"
Steadying herself with clear concentrated effort, Amelia forced herself to be steady, planting her feet firmly onto the ground. "I do."
"We have what we need," Achillia said, turning to face a shocked Bruno and Caitlin. "Let's be gone from here with haste, before this one changes her mind."
The two of them shared another glance before nodding and hurrying after the First Commander, who had already started walking towards the exit. The automatic door closed behind them with a whirr of its engines, leaving the room with just a singular occupant.
Standing in silence next to the corpses of the guards, Amelia stared ahead, her eyes wide; her pupils dilated beyond all recognition. She was breathing heavily, the air being inhaled and exhaled through her gaping mouth, her face set in shock.
So… that's what happened! She thought, her mind racing a mile a minute. The Missing Decade… it all makes sense now! Even the deepest governmental vaults didn't contain this information! That missing piece of history… Now I know what happened! This changes… everything!
After standing there for several moments more, she straitened her clothing, carefully removing any creases from its folds. She meticulously rearranged her coat of office back into its pristine position upon her shoulders, making sure the clasps at her breasts were steady and firm, each bearing the symbol of an eye over a Pokeball, the crest of the World Government. Selecting a Pokeball from her waist, she thumbed the release.
Spiritomb emerged from the materializing light, hovering just before her and waiting patiently for its instructions. Ninetails, already waiting nearby, moved over to stand next to her companion.
"Clear this mess up." Amelia simply said.
They both silently nodded and began to remove the corpses and blood. It was a task both of them were quite familiar with. The amount of people that the World Government had removed from the record was one without number. They no longer even kept track.
As Amelia left the room, returning to her private quarters, her eyes were still as wide as saucers, and a wide, toothy smile split her beautiful face.
To be continued...