The Lively Port

It was the next day after Dr. Krane had been taken by the mysterious men. The night before, Michael and Liz had looked in their Orre History books from school, and Michael realized just how similar the old Cipher uniforms were to what Michael said the kidnappers had been wearing. However, the police had been unwilling to listen, saying they were probably just people pretending to be Cipher, since the syndicate had disbanded ten years ago. The police were almost always too lazy to actually investigate crimes other than the ones that need only minimal effort, even though their investigative performance lasted until midnight last night.

Michael was sitting in the room where he'd gotten the Snag Machine, which was still on his arm. Everyone in the head families of the lab was in the room with him, along with Aiden, and the only sounds was Jovi crying. She had been preoccupied with her game of hide and seek, and when the crash sounded through the lab, Adon had kept her occupied so she wouldn't see anything traumatizing. Liz was directly across from him, trying to hide her tears. There was a sense of depression over the group.

Normally, Michael would be trying to comfort his little sister, but he was having an even harder time with the recent events. Why is this happening to us? Were Dad and Mrs. Hanz not enough? I swear, Arceus, you're going to drive me insane.

Lily was beside Jovi, holding her daughter closely, trying to hold back her own tears from losing her brother. "Jovi, please don't cry. He's going to be fine. The police are doing everything they can to find Uncle Richard."

Michael didn't want to give Jovi any doubt, and he could see that Liz was feeling the same way. They both knew that the police in Orre were as useful as a warm cup of spit. That had been true ten years ago, with Wes doing all the work to stop Cipher before the police did anything of worth. This time, it seemed worse, as the officers absolutely refused to believe Teddiursa was a Shadow Pokémon. They had just left without any legitimate leads.

Aiden, however, had his focus across the hall, looking at the Purify Chamber. "If only we had finished the chamber. Without Dr. Krane…I'm not sure we can finish the project," he said with a defeated tone. "And I'm certain that there are more Shadow Pokémon out there, aside from that Teddiursa."

The room went mostly silent, aside from Jovi's crying. Michael then saw his mother's expression turn from sorrow to determination. "No," she said. "We can, and we WILL finish the chamber." Her tone was so full of confidence that everybody in the room looked up. That included Jovi, who suddenly stopped crying.

"But, Lily, you know that Richard is critical to this project," Aiden said.

"Perhaps, but the chamber is almost done anyway. Aside from a few final touches, all of which have been laid out in detail, we're pretty much finished," Lily said confidently. "We didn't get this far just because Richard was here. It was because we worked as a team. And I know that Richard would be livid if he found out that all of us just gave up without trying as soon as he was gone." She then stood up and started walking out of the room. "I'm going to meet with Datan and start preparing for the finishing touches."

Michael thought for a moment, then smiled and closed his eyes in thought. Mom's right. I can't just sit here feeling sorry for myself, and moping around. Uncle Richard wouldn't want us crying…and neither would Dad. They would want us to keep pressing on, no matter what. His thoughts actually wound up making Michael remember a time not long after losing his father, where he had a very meaningful talk with his mother.

4 Years Earlier

A 14-year-old Michael was sitting on the ground with Eevee beside him. They were both in somber moods as they were in front of a headstone, marked "Samuel Orison." Michael was crying silently, holding Eevee for comfort. The little Pokémon sensed his new trainer's sadness, and he was trying his best to cheer him up, lightly pawing at his arms. Michael appreciated his Pokémon's efforts, but the pain of losing his father so suddenly was too fresh.

"Why, Dad? Why did you leave us?" he asked, knowing he wouldn't get an answer. His mother was a short distance away, with a three-year-old Jovi sleeping in a stroller. She knew what her son was saying to the grave, even if she couldn't hear his words. She was also struggling to make sense of what had happened. She had her suspicions of what had happened, and Richard agreed with her. However, they both agreed to not tell Michael. After all, how exactly does a mother tell her son that his father was likely murdered by a criminal syndicate that shouldn't have even been in existence. And, even with Richard stepping up to help her, now she was a widowed mother of two. She would certainly have trouble in the future with her children.

Samuel's research into the purification of Shadow Pokémon was likely what had drawn the syndicate's attention. When news spread of the Purify Chamber, it must have been the final straw that Cipher was willing to let happen. They took action, and had arranged to put three bullets in his chest, killing him before he hit the ground. The police had wound up doing nothing, and the trail went cold.

It had been only a month since that day, and the pain was still unbearable. Right now, though, she couldn't sit back and feel sorry for herself. Right now, her son needed her. It was made even more evident when Eevee got around to Michael's lap, and raised himself so his front paws were on his trainer's chest, mewing at the boy. Michael's response was only to reach up and pet the little Pokémon behind his ears.

Lily moved to Michael with Jovi's stroller, before kneeling beside him and putting her hand on his shoulder, making him jump slightly. He had been so lost in thought that he'd missed the crunching leaves that signaled her approach. "M-mom? W-when did you get here?" he asked through the tears he was trying to hide. Eevee, however, gave Lily a happy nuzzle, making her smile and laugh as she pet the little creature.

"I've been here this whole time," she said, sounding sympathetic as she looked at the gravestone. "Michael, I know it hurts…I miss him almost more than I bear. But, even with that pain, I can still feel how much he loves us."

"But…how are you so calm about it?" Michael asked. "How are you so strong?"

Lily sighed, feeling tears starting to fall. "I'm really not that strong. But, I do remember something Sam told me when my father died. He said that my dad wouldn't want me feeling sorry for myself, and that he wanted me to keep living life to the fullest and keep pursuing my dreams." Michael looked up with some interest, but didn't say much else, so Lily pulled him into a tight hug, giving Michael the comfort that only a mother can provide. She kissed his forehead gently. "Sam wouldn't want to see you mourning for too long. He wants you to keep going to fulfill your own dreams, whatever they may be."

Michael sighed happily, his tears drying now. "Thank you, Mom. I promise, I'll try to make you and Dad proud of me."

Lily smiled, giggling softly. "Michael, we've always been proud of you, and there is noting you could ever do to make either of us stop being proud of you," she said. After all, you were Sam's favorite.

Present Day

Michael opened his eyes and stood up, catching Liz's attention. "I'm going upstairs. Mom might need some extra help with the project. I may not be great with the mechanics and the engineering, but I know there's something I can do." He didn't wait for a response before he left the room, heading up the elevator.

Liz, however, had a deep sense of worry. What is this region coming to? Are we facing another Shadow Pokémon Crisis? Her thoughts raced at a hundred miles an hour, but she knew one thing for certain: she was terrified of what was to come.

Upstairs, Michael had just entered Datan's room, hearing Lily discussing the technical information regarding the Chamber, and how to finalize the computer coding. Michael, however, had no knowledge of any coding languages, so he could barely understand what was being said. Lily saw him come in as well, but she couldn't break concentration while talking code. Datan was working along with their conversation, balancing Lily's suggestions with his own until they got to a stopping point. Lily then turned to her son. "Sorry for making you wait," she said.

"It's not a problem," Michael said. "I know that coding takes a lot of concentration."

"Anyway, what is it you needed?" Lily asked.

"Actually, that's what I was going to ask," Michael said. "Is there anything you need help with?"

"Actually, there is, now that you mention it. The Parts Shop in Gateon Port called recently and said that the last component for the chamber has been finished. Could you please go and pick that up for me?" Lily said happily.

"Yeah, that's no problem," he said, knowing that his minimal skills with engineering or computer sciences would only lead to him getting in the way. Plus, his scooter would make the task easier. "Just so I know, how big is this part supposed to be?"

"It's pretty small. It'll easily fit in your moped," Lily said with a smile.

That's when Jovi came in. "Jovi can help too! She knows exactly where the part shop is. Her friend, Emili, lives right next to it with Acri. Her beaming smile and her excited tone made it impossible for Michael and Lily to find the will to say no.

Michael knelt beside Jovi. "Of course, you can come," he said. "But I want you to promise me that you'll stay close to me the entire time."

Jovi nodded, her excitement still visible in her innocent smile. "Okay, big brother, Jovi will stay with you the whole time!"

Michael and Jovi left the room together, leaving Lily full of pride for her children. Sam, are you watching? Our son has grown up to be just like you. And Jovi is still as energetic as ever. I know you'd be proud of them.

Down at the garage, Michael was already getting his scooter out, when he saw an unexpected face. "Liz? What's up?" he asked, handing Jovi the pair of small goggles.

"Michael…you're going to do a job…right after what happened to your Uncle, and you didn't even ask me to come," she said, her tone showing worry more than anger.

"I assumed you'd be busy here," Michael said.

"You thought there'd be something more important than making sure you stay safe? Cipher knows you have a Snag Machine now. Don't you think they'll be coming after you?"

Michael couldn't answer her question, even if it was rhetorical. She was completely right. "Well, we're going to Gateon Port, if you want to come," he said, holding out the other pair of goggles.

Liz smiled and put them on eagerly. "Glad you understand. By the way, it's a thirty-minute ride to Gateon Port. Can you handle that?"

Michael smirked as he got on, starting the engine. Jovi put her goggles on and sat behind her brother, with Liz sitting behind her. "Thirty minutes is only if I go slow," he said as he kicked the scooter into gear.

Twenty-nine minutes later, Jovi was gasping at the sight of the blue sky over a picturesque ocean. "So pretty!" she said.

Liz and Michael both giggled, knowing Jovi had the same reaction every time she came to Orre's port town. They had to agree. Since Cipher had seemingly vanished ten years ago, the entire region had begun to clean up the pollution that had driven away the wild Pokémon. Still, the water surrounding the docks was disgusting. Multiple Styrofoam cups floated near the concrete walls of the pier. What disgusted Michael the most, though, was the fact that there were a couple diapers in the water.

And people wonder why the Pokémon don't come back to this region, Michael thought in annoyance.

"Come on, big brother, the Parts Shop is this way!" Jovi called. Michael turned and saw Jovi start running to the southern part of the town. Michael and Liz followed her a bit slower, but they sped up when they saw Jovi was unaware that she was on a collision course with a massive skater punk, easily over 6'5", and had a blonde flat-top haircut. They didn't even have time to call out a warning to her. She almost slammed into him, falling onto her rear, and causing the guy to look down in shock.

"Ouchies," she said. "I fell down." She shook her head to clear the slight daze, and she got up. Despite her age, she never cried from physical pain. Michael actually envied his sister's toughness in these situations. The skater initially seemed to be laid back as he looked Jovi over. Michael wanted to feel relieved, but this guy gave him a bad feeling. Liz felt the same way.

"Woah there, little lady," he said as he seemed to push out his red, lightning-bolt shirt for intimidation. Liz saw it, and started walking toward Jovi. Michael was close behind her. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Jovi noticed that Michael and Liz were behind her now, to show the guy she wasn't alone. The guy, however, didn't notice either of them. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you," Jovi said. Michael took notice that her use of the third-person had ended for now. "I was just–"

"SORRY?!" the guy said, getting visibly angry, stomping his foot hard, and glaring at her. "You messed up the hip and happening look of Zook." Jovi recoiled with fear in her eyes, something Michael had honestly never seen from his sister. Liz saw it as well, but when she saw Michael's building rage, she had a feeling that he would try to put Zook in his place. Jovi's fear, however, seemed to only spur Zook's anger. He just spat on the ground and looked ready to attack. "Sorry don't even begin to cut it!"

Jovi shrank back, then turned and ran behind Michael, getting Zook to notice the two eighteen-year-olds for the first time. "Huh, you two with that munchkin?" Michael started to notice that a small crowd was gathering.

"We are," he said, showing his anger, his left hand clenching, making the palm of the Snag Machine seem to light up. "You will not lay a hand on my sister."

Zook smirked. "Why would I do that, when I could just beat your ass and take your pretty girlfriend for myself?" he said, winking at Liz, who did her best not to wretch.

"You couldn't beat him. You're not even a real man," Liz said. "After all, you seem to take pleasure in picking on kids."

Zook sneered at that comment, then turned to Michael. "Well, you still look like a trainer. You'll be loads more fun to beat down than that small fry," he took out a Pokéball, and Michael suddenly felt a chill in the air. "I'll just crush you with my Shadow Pokémon."

Michael's face turned from fury to concern. Did he just say…Shadow Pokémon? Zook tossed his Pokéball out, and it released a white ferret-like Pokémon with red markings across its chest, on its left ear, across its left eye, and both of its hands. A Zangoose… he thought as the Shadow Monitor beeped in response. The screen extended, and Michael saw the black aura. He also saw that it was level 28. None of my Pokémon stand a chance against that…but I can't back out now.

That's when Michael heard laughter behind them that both calmed his nerves, and sent chills down his spine simultaneously. The laughter was paired with three sets of footsteps, and the tapping of a cane. He turned and saw a senior citizen with an expensive-looking purple cape over a maroon suit. His smile, his rounded glasses, and his general demeanor seemed to show kindness, but Michael couldn't shake the bad feelings he had about this man too. Beside him, there were two men in their mid-to-late forties, wearing near identical suits and sunglasses. The one on the right had a blue kimono under his dark grey top. His hair looked blue in the light, likely due to dark hair greying slightly. The one on the left, who seemed like the younger one, had a red kimono under a similar top. His hair was also red, looking darker than Michael's, but it was neatly trimmed.

"Oh, no, no, no," the elderly man in the center said. "Pokémon are not meant to be used in such a manner. Choose your time and place." His voice sounded deep and soothing, and he was clearly wealthy based on the clothes he was wearing, as well as those his presumed bodyguards wore. Michael also felt an intense gaze coming from the man in blue, almost like there was some recognition. Liz saw it too, and she was sure that neither she nor Michael knew any of these men.

"Tch, and what the hell will you do about it, old man? You should stay out of this for your own good," Zook said, not noticing that his intimidation tactics were clearly not working. "BEAT IT!"

The man in blue stepped forward. "Mr. Verich, if you don't mind, I would like to put this boy in his place." The elderly man smirked and nodded.

Zook's smirk got wider. "Fine, I'll just crush all of you!" Liz saw that bravado, but she could also sense an overwhelming confidence coming from the man in blue.

The mystery man reached into his long sleeve, and pulled out a Pokéball, sighing like all of this was beneath him. He opened the Pokéball without throwing it. "Come out, Alakazam!" he said. Michael turned on his battle monitor as the bipedal fox-like Pokémon came out, holding the two spoons the species was known for holding to amplify their psychic powers. Just by looking at it, though, Michael could tell that Zook wasn't just outmatched, he was outclassed in every way. Then he saw the Pokémon's level, and balked.

Level 90?! This guy is almost as strong as a regional champion, Michael thought. Liz saw Michael's stunned expression, as did Jovi. They were about to ask him about the Alakazam's level, but they got an answer when the Zangoose was gripped by a Psychic attack. It was then slammed into the ground hard enough to crack the concrete. Zook growled as he recalled the Shadow Pokémon, looking defeated and pissed.

"Damn it! How could I lose like that?" Zook asked through gritted teeth. "I'll get you back for this one day, you fogie." He then stormed off, pushing past the small crowd as he left the town.

"Sir, shall I give chase?" the man in blue asked.

"No, that won't be necessary. I'm sure he'll feel more karma soon enough," the man, who Michael assumed was named Verich. "Let us go to the Krabby Club and enjoy ourselves." With that, the three men began making their way to the northern part of the city as the crowd dispersed.

Jovi stepped toward them, catching their attention. "Umm…th-thank you," she said.

Mr. Verich chuckled. "No thanks are needed, my dear," he said as he turned to face the little girl. "We only did what was necessary." With that, he and his bodyguards continued on their way, leaving Michael, Liz, and Jovi by the docks, hearing the little girl start to cry in reaction to the fear she'd just been put through.

Once they were out of earshot, the man in blue spoke. "Sir, did you happen to see the faces of the boy and the little girl?"

Mr. Verich smirked. "I did, Ardos. It seems we just helped the son and daughter of Samuel Orison. But they are of no concern."

The red-haired man spoke next. "I think the more pressing concern, at the moment, is that device on his arm. Lovrina's report on their operation mentioned that the HQ Lab has a Snag Machine. I assume that was it," he said.

"I doubt he will be much of a threat, Eldes. You must've noticed his apprehension when the Zangoose came out," Mr. Verich said.

"Are you certain, sir?" Eldes said, though his emotions were mixed with doubt. Other organizations had made the mistake of underestimating a potential enemy in the past, and they had all paid dearly. If he defies expectations, maybe I'll have a rival.

"I am certain. Besides, if he does become a threat, then we might be able to use him to cull the weak among our membership," Verich said.

"Understood, sir," Eldes said.

Michael and Liz were both working together to comfort the crying Jovi, with Michael holding her close. While Jovi had tried to stay as brave as possible while Zook was around, her fear had still overwhelmed her, and a kid her age could really only handle so much stress. So, she cried and held onto her brother. She always felt at ease with him.

"Hey, you're gonna be okay, Jovi. He's gone, and I promise that he's not coming back," Michael said gently, trying to get her to calm down.

Jovi sniffled slightly, looking up at him. "You promise?"

Michael nodded. "I promise. He probably won't even come back to this city after that." Jovi started to smile slightly. "Besides, you have more important things to do. Don't forget that Mom needs you to get the order from the Parts Store." Jovi smiled a bit wider, wiping her eyes clear with her sleeve.

Wow, he's so good with kids… Liz thought, smiling as she watched him, only to hear small footsteps behind them. She turned and saw a red-haired girl about the same age as Jovi in a green and white striped skirt, with a yellow shirt. That little girl was walking with a brunette woman a bit younger than Lily, and with hair just above her shoulders.

"Jovi, is that you?" the other girl said.

Jovi lit up. "Emili?" she turned and smiled again. "I didn't know you were nearby!" She sounded genuinely happy to see her friend.

"You two must be Michael and Liz," the woman said. "I'm Acri. Emili is my daughter."

Michael stood up and shook Acri's outstretched hand, with Liz doing the same after him. "It's great to finally meet you," Liz said as Jovi and Emily seemed to get lost in their own conversation.

"Likewise. Jovi has told me all about you two," Acri said.

"Oh…knowing her, that could have made me look either really good, or really bad," Michael said, half-joking.

The woman giggled softly. "It was all good things. She clearly looks up to you a great deal."

Michael sighed. "Yeah, but I still felt pretty useless just a few minutes ago when that jerk tried to hurt her. I'm just lucky that old man stepped in when he did."

"Oh, Mr. Verich. He's pretty well-known around Orre, since he's very philanthropic," Acri said.

"How so?" Liz asked, sounding curious since she'd never heard of any businesses or rich people with the name Verich.

"Well, he was one of the people who helped to fund the S.S. Libra's project," she seemed to get a bit more somber. "It's a shame what happened to that ship, disappearing without so much as a trace."

"Yeah," Michael said, remembering when he and Liz got their Eevees on the same day, him with his dad, and her with her mom. "And now kids won't be able to start training Pokémon so easily."

"I even heard a rumor that the daughter of the Hoenn Champion's Gardevoir was on that ship," Liz said.

Acri looked off into the distance. "To think that such a wonderful family, like the Maples, would be put through such emotional stress…"

She left her sentence there. They all knew what she was saying. The worst things always happened to the best people, and with how much Gwen seemed to love her daughter, based only on what was seen in public, she must be going through Hell.

"Anyway," Michael said. "Jovi, we should get that part as soon as possible."

"Okay, big brother," she said.

"And, one last thing before you go," Acri said. "I know you're a trainer, Michael, so I think you'd like to know that there are two trainers in Gateon Port with unusually strong Pokémon. One is on the top of the lighthouse, and the other is on the northern side of the city if you go on the rotating bridges. Although, some say the Pokémon are…abnormally aggressive."

"Oh, thank you," Michael said as Acri and Emili went off, realizing that there were two more Pokémon he might need to snag while they were here. He pulled out his P-DA and sent a message to his Mom to update her. Hey, might take some extra time at Gateon. There might be some Shadow Pokémon.

He sent the message, then put the device away. "Alright, let's go find the shop," Michael said.

Liz just started giggling. "I don't know…maybe it's the building with the giant, rotating metal scooter on the roof," she said sarcastically.

Michael deadpanned briefly. "Yeah, maybe that's it…" he said as he followed Liz to the building in question. When they got into the building, they were met with a man who seemed to be a sailor, but they didn't see Perr, or Makan.

The sailor looked up happily. "Hello there. If you're here for shop business, I'm afraid that Perr and Makan are both out on separate jobs, and they didn't teach me the combination to the safe."

Michael looked intrigued. "Strange…they called us to let us know our order was ready."

The sailor looked sympathetic. "You're welcome to wait here, if you'd like…but I would give anything to be out on the ocean right now. Problem is that, ever since the Libra incident, travel has been banned to, from, and around Orre." His tone seemed slightly depressed. "I remember when I would sail with my Eevee."

"You raised an Eevee?" Michael asked.

The sailor perked up. "That I did, and I am still raising her as a Glaceon," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"We're both raising an Eevee of our own," Liz said excitedly. She and Michael both let out their Eevees. Normally, this might have been confusing, but Liz's Eevee wasn't the usual brown with cream colored fur on the chest and the tip of the tail, the way Michael's was. Her Eevee was a silver color with white fur on her chest and the tip of her tail.

Immediately, the two Eevees, who were much like Michael and Liz in that they were best friends since they were born, began wrestling playfully. The sailor smiled happily as he watched the Pokémon. "Well, since you are both fellow Eevee trainers, I assume you both know Eevee's unique evolutionary line," he said. They both nodded, and the sailor continued. "Then, I should tell you that I've scoured the world to find items needed to evolve an Eevee." He went to the counter and took out a duffel bag. He then carefully took out and set down the evolutionary stones. These included a Thunder Stone, a Water Stone, a Fire Stone, a Leaf Stone, an Ice Stone, and three items that Michael and Liz didn't recognize, one of which was in a bag. "These last two stones are the Sun Shard, which evolves Eevee into an Espeon, and a Moon Shard, which gets an Umbreon. The bag, however, contains what can only be described as Pixie Dust, which gets a Sylveon."

As if sensing the power radiating from the items on the table, both Eevees came closer, and jumped onto the table. "Are…you offering to let us use one of these?"

The sailor just smiled. "That I am. Consider it a form of passing the torch," he said.

Michael and Liz looked to their respective Eevees, with Liz moving first. "Michael, if you don't mind, my Eevee and I agreed a long time ago that she would become a Sylveon when she evolved. Can we use that one?"

Michael nodded. "I'm okay with it," he said as the sailor picked up the bag and gave it to her. She opened the tie to see pink, glittering dust inside.

"Just let your Eevee touch the dust. It will start the evolution," the sailor said. Liz opened the bag wide enough so Eevee's paw could touch it directly. The little silver Pokémon wasted no time putting her paw into the powder. Upon contact, the dust began to fly up and swirl around the Eevee, getting steadily closer until, finally, it began glowing as it seemed to fuse with the Pokémon. The little Eevee immediately began to glow brightly. She grew taller, with her ears getting longer as her tail got longer, with one tuft visible just below the tip. The fur on her body also shortened and compressed into bowties and ribbon-like extensions. In two seconds, the shine was gone, and the Eevee had evolved into a blue Sylveon.

Liz cheered happily as she saw her newly evolved Pokémon. "Congratulations, Sylveon!" she said, earning a lick of affection from the Pokémon.

Michael, however, had directed his Eevee toward the rest of the stones, all of which were situated around the little Pokémon. "Alright, buddy. I know we haven't talked about evolving…so, I'm leaving the choice to you. Pick whichever stone you want, and I will be happy with it no matter what happens."

Eevee mewed happily to his trainer, then looked at each stone, sniffing them carefully as he decided. Then, with a look of determination, and confidence, Eevee made his choice, placing his paw on the stone he wanted.

And, with that cliffhanger, I will end the chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it.

Before ending entirely, though, I'd like to make a note: Yes, I know that Eevee doesn't evolve into Leafeon, Glaceon, or Sylveon with the items I mentioned. But, since the Sun Shard and Moon Shard were made for XD to accommodate for the lack of a Day/Night cycle, I decided to make the other stones work like the shards, and I added Pixie Dust, because why not. So, please, don't get on my ass about that.

Anyway, please leave a review, and let me know what you think. I am open to all constructive criticism.

Until next time ~ jmoul18