Chapter 6: The Brains of the Outfit
Dangit! Kevin thought as he made his way to the front of the mansion, giving a low growl. When I get my hands on Warles, he's going to explain everything that allows him to figure out this stuff!
Keep your temper, Duo-Cevan reminded. Just focus on the task at hand. A master at sneaking about has to keep his mind clear!
Darn you, Duo-Cevan, Kevin muttered, a little frustrated that Duo-Cevan had read his mind. Must you interrupt everything I think?
I didn't until now, Duo-Cevan pointed out. I'm trying to keep my calm so our anger doesn't revive what we dread the most to become. I don't want your anger to fill my mind.
Kevin realized what Duo-Cevan was talking about. He calmed down. Sorry, Duo-Cevan, he said finally, peeking around to the front door. It just that Warles frustrates me sometimes.
Yeah, I understand, Duo-Cevan said, giving a telepathic nod. However, I'm wondering now how we can get to the portal without raising an alarm.
Maybe the better question would be, 'how many guards are we dealing with?' Kevin corrected. There's probably more scientists than guards, assuming Warles is correct that they don't expect surprises.
Hey Kevin, Warles's voice went on as the Pokégear picked up. What's your status now?
Just to the west of the entrance, Kevin explained. A guard I watched knocked out a Slugma without even battling it. Apparently, they've been having a problem with them.
Well, what did you expect with a volcano? Warles said. Anyway, don't try entering the front door. I know of a secret entrance from the rooftops to the first floor.
Can you explain why such a secret passage exists? Kevin asked.
Not now, Warles said, urging Kevin to go on. Just fly onto the roof and look for a broken tile next to a fan.
Kevin took the advice and flew up onto the rooftop. Spotting two fans, Kevin went around them, checking for cracks. Sure enough, a broken slab of concrete rested in place, almost wedged between the rest of the ceiling. Kevin managed to get it out without much noise.
Well, I found it, Kevin said, looking into the hole. Where does it lead?
It goes into the janitor's closet in a hallway of the first floor, Warles explained as Kevin climbed down. It was there for officers to intercept those who attempted to get out of the mansion by the roof. It's usually a one-way entry, but with fingers such as yours, there should be no problem pulling it out.
So I figured, Kevin said, glancing at his hand. He had been through many battles and operations with them, using the blades on his fingers for not only fighting with devastating slashes, but also for picking locks and such. The lock picking was mostly to get in areas that were usually underground bases for criminal use, but he had also used it to get in a Pokémon center when it was locked, mostly to find someone.
Kevin's foot hit a trap door below him. Using Psychic to act as a cushion so it wouldn't smack against anything, he kicked it open softly and dropped into the closet, catching his foot in a bucket. Smooth, Kevin thought as he pulled it off and put it aside. He then turned his thoughts to Warles. Okay, I'm in the building now… how do I tell if someone's in the hallway?
Check the hanger with supplies dangling from it, Warles explained. Is the pole of the hanger leading to the ground?
Kevin checked. Yes, it's as you describe, he confirmed.
Okay then, Warles continued, The supplies will swing when someone is even remotely in the same hallway. It's sort of a design flaw, but it was rather entertaining when I watched it while I was bored. Warles paused for a moment. Come to think of it, I think I was the only one who noticed that.
Kevin watched the supplies with the light that poured in from the hole above him. They were completely motionless. Not even his landing with the ground caused motion, which was a good sign, if what Warles was saying was true. Testing the hanging supplies, he gave what would be an average human step. They began moving, just as they were described.
Kevin grinned. Hey, you're right, he said to Warles, chuckling in his mind. That is kind of entertaining.
Wasting no further time, Kevin pulled out of the closet and glanced around. Remembering where he saw the portal, he took the directions to Warles. Warles, I saw the portal in the northwest end of the mansion. From the closet, where do I go?
Third door to the right from the closet, Warles explained. Multiple doors can actually lead to the same room, but that one is most likely a door to not be seen opened or closed from within the room.
Strange, Kevin said, mostly to himself as he closed the janitor closet and went straight for it.
However, he wasn't within arm's reach before the door just behind him opened up. Crud! Kevin thought. Got to hide! He frantically looked around in the white corridor. Nothing would work to camouflage him in here. But where?!?… He wondered again.
The scientist was either blind or ignorant of his surroundings when he walked down the direction where Kevin was headed. In a panic, he dove behind the door that opened and moved with it when the scientist shut it in a yawn. Getting behind the scientist, the man then walked down the hallway and turned the corner, Kevin a few paces to the man's back to stay out of his side view, and when the man began down past the corner, Kevin went back to the door where he was originally headed to.
What's the matter? Warles asked, confused of the silence.
I had to quickly hide in a white hallway, Kevin explained as he opened the door and ducked inside, hiding behind a wall from the far end of the room. You were right about them not expecting anyone to get past a certain point… the scientist I managed to evade was completely blind of his surroundings. However, the next problem I have is getting past a couple of guards guarding a portal.
Leave that for me, Warles said. I'll provide a false alarm of a traveler seeming to go towards the island, but then headed for somewhere else. If my assumption is correct, they'll summon all their guards out to keep a watch on the shore, which should let you pass.
You sure this will work? Kevin asked.
I'm 95 percent sure, Warles answered. And since I can't communicate to you when you step into the portal, I'm saying this now: Good luck. I'll talk to you again when you're back through.
Hmph, Kevin thought as the connection ended. I don't know how you do it, but I bet you're right again, Warles. If you're such a good spy, you should be the one here!
Kevin waited for what seemed to be an hour to him. Surprised and bored as he was, he remained quiet. The guards never seemed to move from their duties, and never talked, either. It was almost as if they were robots. Amazing how two guys can manage to stay so quiet, Kevin wondered.
Finally, Kevin heard their radio go off. "Attention, all guards," it shouted. "A confirmed rider and creature have gone past long range scanners. Until scanners are switched to immediate proximity and subjects are being monitored, all guards are to report to outside of mansion!"
One of the guards gave out a sigh. "Finally!" the first one said in an enthusiastic tone. "Guard duty isn't bad, but there's just nothing to do!"
"Just remember what your job is, soldier!" the second one barked. "You didn't join this company for adventure, you joined it for a job. You don't get paid to slack off, after all."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, Mr. Drill Sergeant," the first one said back, going out a door that was closer to them than Kevin.
No wonder why they didn't talk, Kevin thought. He remained behind the wall until after they left, then turned to face the portal.
Now that he was facing it directly, he realized that there was more to the metal frame around the portal. On the ground where the metal columns stood, a bridge with a low guardrail seemed to go out into the swirling colors. Directly across the bridge, Kevin could see another opening, where it ended.
Kind of reminds you of Celebi, doesn't it? Duo-Cevan said as they stared.
Almost, Kevin thought back as he stepped through the opening. It was almost like stepping through a doorway to some sort of warp dimension.
Walking slowly at first to the opening across the metal bridge, Kevin took some time to look around. Sure, there were plenty of colors moving about, but there was also 'holes' into other worlds, as well. Looking in one, he saw what appeared to be a Stantler, but otherwise had no relation to the Pokémon. Through a second hole, he saw what appeared to look like a car of sorts, but had wings at the back and no wheels, and moved along a track that Kevin thought to be perilous to race on with such vehicles.
Come on, Kevin! Duo-Cevan urged. We've got to get moving before someone sees us here!
Yeah, you're right, Kevin agreed. He began to sprint to the other end.
He suddenly realized then that the area he was in was as dangerous as the mission itself. The moment both of his feet were off the ground, he found himself drifting up and sideways from the bridge.
What the…!! Kevin exclaimed. We're being pulled?
I believe it's this dimension! Duo-Cevan said. There is no definite direction, so when our feet left the bridge, we have no other guide to hold onto!
Quick! Kevin shouted, getting into action before he drifted any further. Shoot out a vine whip and have it wrap onto that guardrail on the bridge!
Kevin reached out his hand and fired a vine whip out to the railing on the bridge. He could use it as any other whip, but he could also use vine whip as a projectile weapon that was guided until it reached its limit. His aim was accurate, and managed to have it wrap tightly on the rail. No sooner did he do that, though, when he suddenly fell downward from the bridge and was dangling on the rail by his vine whip, holding on for dear life.
Man, Duo-Cevan grunted as he worked his way up the vine, Talk about giving this vine whip a workout!
Strange, Kevin thought as Duo-Cevan pulled them back onto the bridge. It just occurred to me that we could still use vine whip here.
Maybe what they told us about not being able to use other skills was just a theory? Duo-Cevan wondered.
We'll have to test when we get there, Kevin sighed. As for now, if we want to move fast, we'll have to do a spider crawl.
Duo-Cevan agreed, and together they performed a rapid crawl, always keeping a hand or foot on the ground, yet still going fast enough that they arrived in only a few minutes. Stepping out of the warped dimension, Kevin and Duo-Cevan suddenly felt like they had been drained, as if they had their strength taken away from them.
That was odd, Kevin said. He then thought of something else. Hey, can we still do vine whip?
Nope, Duo-Cevan confirmed. He had already attempted to grow the vines from his wrist, but to no avail. Looks like it's down to you when it comes to using the special abilities.
Kevin quickly glanced around at his new environment. Black, metallic walls lined the area he was in, which he guessed to be another building. Several lights, which lit the area but not the walls, were strewn on the ceiling, and the hum of electricity could be heard. A corridor went off to the left and right of the portal, and with the exception of his shadow on the ground, no one was to be seen.
It wasn't until after he made the observation of no guards that he suddenly heard a noise off to the left corridor. Kevin knew exactly what to do.
Time to hide! He quickly thought, throwing on his trainer disguise and dashing against a wall.
The noise, which was several footsteps, got closer, and soon two men, dressed in bright green and pink suits, walked past Kevin's position. He couldn't even begin to guess what they were. They stopped in the middle of the room, just in front of the portal.
"I must say," the first man said, "that this has to be the best world we have come across."
"Indeed," the second replied. "The creatures seem to have an intelligence of their own. If we weren't in this huge competition to create the perfect creature for our world, I would actually take the time to study such creatures and how they exist."
"Come now, Zeph," the first suddenly said, giving him a glance. "Certainly the Company means more to you than those creatures!"
"Well, yes," the second, Zeph, sighed. "However, if my creature turns out to be a misfit, then I'll probably just go there on an extended vacation. I grow tired of this silly competition, Iack."
"Don't force me to report you, Zeph," Iack suddenly shot. "You remember the last guy who tried to escape to another world."
"Yes, yes, I know," Zeph said, sighing again. His glance suddenly moved towards Kevin's direction. Though the man did not see Kevin, Kevin nearly thought that the glance was realizing there was an intruder. However, Kevin remained calm.
The conversation continued for a moment longer, the gaze remaining. Suddenly, Kevin heard something that nearly made him move. He was glad that the walls didn't reflect light.
Kevin! A voice said to him. Can you hear us?
Suicune!! Kevin said, nearly swallowing his calm state. His thoughts seemed to be directed toward the Essence. Is that you? How can you contact me when I'm in a completely different world??
We are using the Essences within you to stay in contact, another voice, Entei, answered. As long as you are within a world, we can communicate with you.
Yeah, well, I'm kind of hiding at the moment, keeping still under a guy's gaze, Kevin growled. If you didn't mind, I'm trying to concentrate on hiding myself against the wall!
Very well, we will communicate with you later, Raikou remarked. You know how to contact us now when you wish. Remember it. At that, the Call ended.
"Well, why don't we go check on our subjects?" a third man said, entering the room.
The other two, who had just finished their conversation, turned toward the third man. "Sure," they said. The third man was also dressed the same as them, and as they walked down the other corridor, Kevin quickly pursued in the shadows.
Company? Creatures? Subjects? Kevin thought as he followed the men in secret. I'll have to get answers somehow.
Soon, after heading down an alternate corridor, the men came across a door, which resembled mostly a blue panel in the black walls. The door slid upward into the wall, and the men proceeded through, Kevin managing to slip under before it went down. Finding a decent corner away from any lighting, Kevin stared about the room. The men then continued to a wall where several tanks were lined up, similar to the one he was held in. Pressing a single button on them, the men watched as the metal covers of the tanks slid open.
The sight nearly horrified Kevin. The three tanks contained men, but highly warped in some cases. One man's head had completely been transformed to a narrow crest, his chest going to a point behind his legs, and having blades on his wrists, which Kevin quickly identified as those similar to a Kabutops. The second man had a large silver circle across his chest, and his hands, head, and feet were disfigured to an Ursaring. The third, and most frightening of all, had large ears, yellow and black hands and feet, and his face held two spots on them. He also had a long tail that held a yellow lightning bolt at the very end. Kevin identified him to be a Raichu.
Zeph looked at his Kabutops man. "Hmm… I don't think mine is going to work for the best creature," He determined. "How about yours, guys?"
The others shook their head. "I just don't think that we're getting this right," Iack sighed.
Kevin watched the panel slide open. "Are you sure? Maybe you're just not giving it enough effort," someone said, stepping through and approaching the men.
"Mr. Eralch!" the three said in unison. "We… we were not expecting you…"
"As is with everyone else whom I approach," Mr. Eralch said calmly. "And more lucky are those who are actually working when I do come. However, do not fret. We do not just create creatures just to best others. We create them because we need them. Do not forget that. Even if yours is not the best at this annual competition, it will still be a useful friend and servant."
Servant?!? Kevin growled. He then realized that this guy was the main man of the so-called "Company."
"Which reminds me," Mr. Eralch continued, "where is Naria? That girl has been eluding me ever since this competition began." Kevin detected a note of disgust when he mentioned the name.
"I've seen her," Zeph said, nodding. "She's been mostly hanging around the labs. It almost looks like she's just doing nothing to help us."
"Daughter of a misfit!" Mr. Eralch growled, sounding none too happy. "And we still pay her?!?"
"Apparently so," the third man sighed. "She might be in there now. It sounded like she was doing something 'else' because she wouldn't even let us in to get some bio-wrap."
"I've got to get to the bottom of this!" Mr. Eralch shouted, storming out the door.
Kevin followed right behind the man, managing not to get spotted by the others. A single thought came to his mind as he followed the angered man down the corridor. No, he was thinking. I have to get to the bottom of this.