In the lands south of the former bay of Taurlonde, now known as Rosecove City, a dessicated wasteland lay. It was a burnt wasteland, ashen and choking. The sod had never reestablished itself after Mount Brimber erupted a thousand years ago, leaving the Plain of Athfauglien, the Gasping Dust. Around it lay a savannah, although the local climate did not suit the growth of tropical trees.
Bronze and Jake were seated in a small restaurant on the Brimber Wasteland, biding their time while waiting for the next bullet-tram car to arrive. While Jake snacked on imported malasada, Bronze watched a television where the news anchor spoke about a recent events. Bronze did not trust organized media, but some things could not be lied about.
"A few hours ago, a massive explosion has devastated the famed Great Chasm in Unova. After hearing the blast, civilians dispatched authorities to the area, finding the ice covering the chasm completely broken apart. The Champion of the Unova region was found alive at the blast zone, however, he has declined to make a comment on his doings at the scene of the disaster, except that the organization known as Team Eclipse was responsible for the blast. The chasm is famed for containing the legendary Pokémon Kyurem, which has disappeared from the ravine's core. It is unknown if this blast was Kyurem's own doing, or something other party's action."
"In other words, the self-titled 'Guardian of Stark Mountain,' Buck, has been found dead outside the entrance to Stark Mountain, with several signs that he was killed by a illegal projectile weapon. This particular hill was once part of a ancient mountain chain, one that the Hisuians called the Ered Lomien, the Whispering Mountains. It is known as the permanent dwelling for the legendary Pokémon Heatran, which has been classified as a Archon-class threat, not to be disturbed for fear of the negative consequences. Heatran has not been found within the volcanically active hill, and it's current location is wholly unknown."
"Strange." Bronze murmured. "Legendary Pokémon awaking...not very abnormal for this age of the world, but two at once, in wholly different places, not connected in the least, except by the simple order of their being? Very, very strange."
Jake was still snacking. "Hmmm...'chomp' whaaa? Ohhhhhh, it's so good! Try it, Bronze! Try it!"
"Jake!" Bronze insisted. "I am not hungry, I just ate! And, we need to leave for Brimber City! Save the Alolan sweetbread for later!"
Putting down his malasada, Jake looked crestfallen. "But...this food is so good! There is a absolutely perfect, dewy, cool surfacing to the soft, sweet interior! Try it! Try it, please!"
"Let's go, Jake." Bronze said, his tenuous patience worn thin. "I will try it later, all right. Brimber City has the largest above-ground volcano in Roria! You can just barely see it out the window, twenty miles away! It's the slumbering place of the legendary Pokémon Groudon, the Lord of the Earth! Don't you want to check out all the sights? Get going!"
Jake stopped eating and left the tab, and the two walked through the scorched plain to the tram station. A thin wind whipped over the ruined land, the cold of early spring still present this far south.
Bronze saw a single, lone statue, with a crowd of tourists around it. It was built in the likeness of Tar-Castamir, the last king of Logaria, with a partially destroyed effigy of his Purrloin next to the andesite leg of the great lord. The head had long since fallen off, lying in the fine dust.
However, a single wreath of flowers covered the brow of the old king, clinging to life in the extremes of nature
So, Bronze thought, as he paid for him and Jake's tickets. The dead king has a crown again. But for how long? How long until the memory of what happened before fades into the Earth? And what threats thought to be long defeated will rise again? Perhaps they already have...
Bronze took a seat, next to a formica-topped table, a single viewport available for him to view the passing scenery. The tram left the docking station with a rush and whine of expended energy, and then was off into the wide north.
"I wonder why so many strange things have been happening in the world," Bronze said. "Why have more legendary Pokémon been involved in world affairs in the past twenty years than in the past two thousand? Why have there been so many world ending threats in the past twenty years than all of recorded history? I just want to know!"
"Why bother?" Jake replied, staring at the blurred wasteland. "No one knows why the legendaries do what they do. I think its just best to leave them alone. As for the world ending events and people trying to make them happen, I think it's just Murphy's Law. If something can go wrong, it will, right?"
"I am surprised you believe that," Bronze said. "I think it is something deeper, more older. And it seems recent. My parents say that when they were young, everything seemed so much more...good, clean, pure, whole. And it isn't just them! Find any older person, and they will say something similar. We have lived our whole lives in this 'darkness,' and cannot perceive it, since we always have been entrenched in it. And the legendary Pokémon...what is with them, allying with mere humans?"
"Well," Jake replied. "Perhaps these Pokémon, for a time, are willingly partnering with worthy trainers. I think we should just leave the legendaries alone. We can't know what they're thinking, and they probably are going to make a wiser decision than us.
Bronze nodded and looked out over the burnt plain. Brimber City was isolated by the Gasping Dust, and food had to be imported. However, the lands directly around the volcano were fertile, due to the sheer force of the original eruption sending the ash flying far away, and the pyroclastic flows having long since crumbled away.
After Groudon had been awakened to destroy Grand Meteor Delta about a year and a half ago, it had travelled further south, out of Hoenn to Roria. It now dwelt within the confines of Brimber Volcano, in a half-sleep of sorts, constantly alarmed and watchful.
Suddenly, Bronze saw a white and dark blue shape fly past the speeding tram, scantly visible in the high-velocity blurring of the surrounding landscape. It looked like a quadruped Pokémon, with a scythe-shaped horn.
I think I've read about something like that before, Bronze thought. What was the name again? Oh, right! Absol...
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Black took a seat, a silk brace over his ribs, to tell his tale to the Chairman. After Black was finished, the man sat down in shock.
"Team Eclipse is responsible for this! And Heatran's disappearance as well...my conclusion is that there are attempting to steal legendary Pokémon for whatever purpose."
"I can make a statement," Black replied. "You could declare them a terrorist organization with my support, and with the other evidence you have collected!"
The Chairman grimaced. "You think I don't already want to? We can't! At least, not legally. Team Eclipse has many benefactors and well-paid lackeys that have considerable influence in the courts. Even if we got a bill through, the only real effect would be to drive Team Eclipse into the shadows. And of course, we couldn't even capture any members anyway. Every time we know of a suspected Eclipse rally or movement, as soon as we send officers to the area, they find nothing, only to have Team Eclipse spring up elsewhere! It seems that they can predict our every move!"
"I would say the situation becomes more and more dire by the day. They are moving, moving faster and faster than we are. We are ineffective and bloated, a standard modern bureaucracy. Only the most terrible action by Team Eclipse could possibly have the rank-and-file politicians act on this crisis! And now, Silver has disappeared to boot! No one can get in contact with him, or even find him!"
The Chairman paused, looking at the secure, beeping holo-transmitter which was signaling that a message was being broadcasted through.
Activating the device, an image of Cypress appeared, uncharacteristically blurred. "Chairman...I believe that the organization known as Team Eclipse has, well...they have used a imbedded agent in the Association to steal several relevant files on the Hoopa issue from my personal library, in my very own office. We do not have enough evidence to charge the perpetrator with a crime, or even find him, at least not now. As such, the texts are indeed missing, even ones that I have not been allowed to view under the Western Treaties...the Terramists are going to give us hell, so we now have yet another issue on our hands. I'll try to reason with them. As I would also like to tell you-"
The connection suddenly cut off, without any true indication that Cypress had ended the call.
"Looks like somethings wrong with the lines," Black said. "Bill is the comms expert, contact him. I mean, maybe Cypress just got a bad connection?"
"Not here, not in the Bagoon," The Chairman muttered, dialing in Bill's number on the holo-transmitter, and after a few seconds, Bill popped into view, as clear as day.
"Hey, Chairman!" The image said. "Welllllllll, you got here just in time for me to tell ya that me and Cheren just ran into a real pickle with the storage system. I mean, we sent in some Porygon and almost got the invasive software down, but then a whole buncha' new firewalls just popped up. We can't do anything now. It seems like we lost the ability to even view the rogue coding. The only thing that could do that is magic, I'll tell you that much. I guess they got control of some of our networks as well. If it wouldn't be any trouble, get Wicke to send us some Aether programmers! Signing off, Bill-"
"Wait!" The Chairman pleaded. "Have you seen any disruptions in our communication lines? We have a possible malfunction."
Bill scratched his chin. "Issues with that? None that I can tell ya of. It could just be coincidence, I'm sure. Or, someone could be specifically targeting you, or the person you're calling. I have to go now..."
The Chairman ruffled his coat, taking in the whole picture of the present situation. "Black, I hope you can continue to patrol for Eclipse movements in Unova, along with some newly-assigned IP officers. I'll contact Red, Gold, and Green to meet in Anthian City and stay there. Also, try to get Sun to come as well, it's better that you do it, he doesn't trust government officials...and if Silver turns up, contact me! You may leave."
And with that, Black strode back out the door.
The world was a powderkeg, and Team Eclipse was looking for a match.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Emrett sat on a laminaweave seat in the middle of an executive council room, awaiting his masters next instructions.
The wonder worker eyed a suspended tank of fish. The water temperature, food density, cleanliness, and scenery of the tank could be changed at a whim. It was a object which Man alone controlled, and no one else, a place that could attest to the superiority of Men, Enlightened Men, Future Men.
The Hood took a seat, with Henry, Tyler, and Eric sitting around him. The empty chairs would have been reserved for the various commanders and captains that could not have arrived in time for a immediate summons, although Kett appeared in holographic form.
"All present..." The Hood said. "Let us begin! Emrett, what about you? Tell me how the...discussion with those two archeologists went."
"Very well, my lord." Emrett said. "They divulged the information without too many unnecessary measures, thankfully. They are enjoying themselves in their personally tailored holding cell. If you wish to go through with the absorption, you will have to be in perfect, peak physical condition. I have my own idea on how that may be accomplished, if you would like to hear..."
"Sure, Sergeant Sorcery." Eric said. "We would all just love to know what you think is the best way for our lord to become even healthier than he is, you insufferable wonder worker."
The Hood was listening.
"In the fragrant meadows of southeastern Sinnoh," Emrett began. "There is a certain legendary Pokémon whose seeds can create such a effect of lasting virtue and healing that none can equal physically those who consume them. Her existence has most certainly been confirmed with the events in Sinnoh years ago. Nessa, the Healer, she was known to the Hisuians. You must seek out Shaymin, my lord."
"Duly noted, good and loyal servant." The Hood said. "Eric, have you captured Darkrai without any exceeding difficulty? I have pursued the casualty reports. They were a rather interesting little read. Petrification, accelerated aging, and other curious ailments. Do tell!"
Eric nodded. "Yes, my lord. It was...difficult to obtain. We lost twelve men, three Pokémon. Many more casualties. But, yes, we have captured the Shadow of the Great Djinn, the Lord of Nightmares, Darkrai himself. One part of of the two that are necessary for the impenetrable ray shield is ours, and the Association has not even noticed! We are the only ones who had knowledge of its location, thanks to our many supernatural allies."
"Good." The Hood said. "Henry has already told me that the Groudon Project is finished, and he will be shipping out the parts in an hour. Project Kyogre is a endeavor that I leave to the hands of Eric. I, myself, will take care of the second half of the Dream Duo. A idle leader is never a good role model for his followers. Tyler?"
"All is well, my lord." Tyler said, an aging, fifty year old man in a golden top hat. "The ship is nearly finished. Our webs of disinformation and propaganda are secure, and we have many allies. We may strike at nearly any time to recover the bottle, although I recommend that we should wait until the Kyurem Module had been fully charged. The being is secure in the lower vaults, drugged to a stupor."
Kett grinned, the micro-pixels in the hologram reddening to show his cheeks blushing with pride. "Another successful assignment! What are we to do, my lord?"
The Hood seemed to be listening to a invisible adviser, nodding and assenting to what it said. After a time, the Hood reached his decision.
"Kett, you are to take a full squad to recover Shaymin from the girl. Use our usual strategy for such measures, dress in the uniforms of Team Rocket rankers. The Association will suspect nothing. Henry, dismissed. You must arrive at Brimber immediately. Eric, dismissed. I want you at Rosecove, bring the Primal Accreciator. Emrett, continue with your valued work. Tyler, oversee the construction of that ship, and keep working on those prison blueprints!"
"What of the boy, my lord?" Emrett said, his eyes pleading. "Might I eliminate him?"
The Hood similed under his cloak. "I appreciated your bloodlust, but I assure you, he is too well guarded. The spies of the Association are all around him. Furthermore, I do not think that your particular set of abilities would be the best suited for any attack on him. He is well guarded by...the servants of the False One. You know what that would entail."
"Yes, my lord." Emrett said, snickering. "Cypress has given him a Pokedex. You can't ever argue with what Cypress does."
Everyone laughed, except Kett. The commander wondered what was so funny.