Chapter 8
Nothingness.
It enveloped her in an endless void.
She walked for an unknown stretch of time; sometimes, it felt like eternity.
There was no destination in mind.
She did not wonder about the emptiness around, nor did she bother to question her presence in this world.
She just felt something. That she had to be here.
The sudden distortion of space and reality made her feel dizzy. The surroundings warped uncontrollably and each movement felt heavy. Gravity came at her from all directions, pulling at every fiber of her existence. She was physically stretched to a limit from the force, causing her left shoulder joint to pop from its socket. Screaming in pain, she felt herself slipping out of consciousness.
Then, it all ceased in an instant.
She was now back in the same endless void. Everything was still. Her shoulder felt sore, but there was no sign of an injury that should've been there.
Tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, she breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, there was a sense of presence behind her. Turning around, there was a toddler who sat several feet from where she stood. Said toddler had her back turned, tufts of steel blue hair peeking from underneath the beret cap she wore.
"Garnet?" Cynthia called out as she slowly approached the girl. From a distance, she saw her daughter playing with a green jewel.
The toddler heard her name and turned slightly, but remained seated. She gazed curiously at the approaching woman before bringing the jewel close to her body.
"No, mommy isn't going to take the jewel," the woman replied upon seeing the gesture. "Come on, let's find our way home," Cynthia beckoned for the toddler.
As if on cue, the jewel glowed brightly on Garnet's palms. It freed itself from the girl's grasp and levitated in front of her, as if motioning for the young one to follow it. Shooting Cynthia a glance, Garnet stood up and toddled hurriedly towards the jewel.
"Garnet? Where are you going? Don't go too far!" the mother called as she ran towards her daughter. Before she could reach the girl, space and reality started to warp once again. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it caused her to stumble.
Looking ahead, she saw that Garnet was farther in distance than before. Not only that, the girl was now running instead of toddling! When did she learn to run on steady feet? And she seems… taller?
Brushing all thoughts aside, Cynthia removed her high heels and bare footedly ran after Garnet. She tried to call out for her daughter, but the child kept her pace in chasing the green jewel. "Garnet Stone! How many times should I call your name before you turn around?!"
Then, Cynthia felt space warping again. This time, she braced herself to avoid stumbling. The ordeal felt a few seconds longer than last time, but she managed to keep her balance throughout. When stillness ensued, the woman bolted into a run once again.
She felt herself slowdown in shock from the sight that met her. No longer was she running after a toddler; she was chasing a school-aged child close to legally starting her journey! As her gaze fell on the familiar steel blue locks sans beret, she knew that the child was still her Garnet. Even without seeing the girl's face, her motherly instincts told her that this was her flesh and blood.
What was happening? Why was Garnet growing up so fast before her? Was time being distorted?
As Cynthia kept her pace, she realized that the distance between her and the child kept expanding. At this point, it almost felt endless. "Please… just… stop running," she trailed off, panting in exhaustion. She stopped to catch her breath and proceeded to walk briskly in an unwavering attempt to catch up to her daughter.
Cynthia's eyes never once left the girl, which was why she noticed when her pace began to slow as well. Eventually, Garnet ceased running and continued her pursuit of the green jewel by walking.
Exhaustion took over Cynthia's body, causing her vision to blur and her body to weaken. "I'm almost… t-there," she whispered tearfully. However, she fell on her knees at some point. With a slight groan, she used the sleeves of her coat to rub the weariness from her eyes.
Looking forward, she gasped at the person now in front of her. Several distance away, a teenager stood with her left arm outstretched to the green jewel. Her steel blue hair was significantly longer and styled in layers. She was also clad in black clothing, and the left sleeve of her untucked button-down shirt was in tatters.
"Garnet?" Cynthia murmured, some blonde tendrils falling on her face. The now-teenager turned ever so slightly to peek over her shoulder, but quickly opted to face away once again before Cynthia could glimpse her features. However, the woman caught sight of blood trickling down from her temple.
The teenager looked above and slowly reached out for the green jewel. The moment she clasped it in her palm, it dissolved into golden particles that slowly dissipated into nothingness. An entity loomed underneath Garnet before it emerged from the shadows to impale her from behind.
"No!" Cynthia screamed as she helplessly watched everything unfold from afar.
She woke up in cold sweat, gasping for air as she sat up. Beside her, something moved that caused the covers to shift slightly off her grasp.
"Cynth! What is it?" a concerned voice asked.
She felt a hand rub her back before a familiar face appeared in her line of sight. Cynthia faced her husband and was met with his worried expression. However, the assurance of his presence did little to calm her panic-stricken state.
She threw the covers to his side and strode out the room on trembling feet. Steven called out for her, but her ears refused to listen. There was one person she desperately wanted to see at this moment.
The hallway was dimly lit by moonlight streaming from the glass windows in the living room. As she hurried along in her silk white nightgown, Cynthia appeared like the maidens of olden times who wandered around castles during the deepest of summer nights. Her fluttered movements were in contrast to the stillness of her surroundings.
The familiarity of such stillness caused her to further quicken her pace. When the faint outlines of a door appeared before her, Cynthia immediately grabbed the handle. There was a momentary hesitation before fully entering the equally dim room.
A small figure was sprawled across the bed on one corner. This alone was enough to bring her relief as she approached the sleeping toddler. Cynthia couldn't help the feeling of fondness at the sight before her.
Garnet lay on her back, head slightly turned to the side as she sucked on her right thumb. Her left arm was slightly stretched to the side. Between her feet were Beldum and Gible plush toys. Cynthia internally chuckled at the poor Beldum plushie that was squished underneath her little foot.
She stayed for a couple of minutes simply content at watching her daughter in peaceful slumber, from the steady rhythm of her breathing to the occasional twitch of tiny fingers. Her baby was safe. It was all that mattered to her, especially after such a horrifying nightmare.
The silhouette of a man appeared in the doorway. Cynthia recognized it to be her husband, probably confused why she marched all the way to their child's room in the middle of the night. With one last look at Garnet's sleeping figure, the woman approached the doorway. Steven took a few steps back to give his wife enough space in closing the door.
"I just had a nightmare that involved her. It's nothing serious," Cynthia whispered.
"I see," Steven replied. "Do you need anything? I know for a fact that nightmares could make a person restless for—"
He was cut off mid-sentence when his wife suddenly buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso. Steven returned the gesture and rubbed her back in comfort.
Cynthia mumbled something against his chest.
"Hm? Come again?" he asked gently, lifting her chin with a finger before brushing away the blonde locks that fell on her face.
"T-That dream felt too real. Garnet… something took her. Something took my whole world from me," she explained feebly trying to hold back tears that threatened to surface. Cynthia felt Steven lightly caress her cheek.
"But it was just a dream. Nothing like that would ever happen, especially not with the both of us around," Steven assured his wife. "Remember that promise we made when Garnet was born? That whatever comes in the future, we'll be our child's fortress—"
"— until our final breath," they concluded in unison.
Those words echoed in their minds, etched permanently in their hearts. It was a resolve that neither hoped to back down. It was a promise; the greatest a parent could ever give.
Lucky was the child to whom such promise would be fulfilled.
The reflective surface glinted against the dim surroundings. Large areas of the cave wall consisted of natural mirrors, with crystal formations protruding from the ground and ceiling. From time to time, he would catch the reflection of wild Pokémon curiously peeking in his direction. However, most would flee in fear upon making eye contact with the large, silver armor-clad bipedal following closely behind him.
"A dead end," Steven mumbled at the wall in front. "There doesn't seem to be a way around it, not even a fissure we could break,"
The surface felt cold against his hand, the rings on his fingers lightly scratching the natural formation. Myths from trainers in the region have told stories of a 'Mirror World' accessible via portals opened by these very walls. It was a world that reversed a person's identity, personality, and even achievements. Some say that those with strong desires would inadvertently cause a passage to open as a way in giving them opportunity in fulfilling a goal that was likely to end in vain.
Steven stared at his disheveled appearance through the reflection. His hair was unkempt, dirt stained his clothes, and boots soiled by a dark brown material that he only hopes was mud. Perhaps his mirror world counterpart was having circumstances in his favor at this moment.
He took a small GPS device from his pocket and began studying the coordinates displayed on screen. "The next point is more than a thousand meters east beyond this wall, but it's a dead end."
The large bipedal readied its claws and took on an attacking stance.
"We can't take the wall down, Aggron," the man calmly told his Pokémon. "There's a high chance of us getting buried alive," he continued, attention never leaving the GPS screen. A topographical map displayed several contour lines that spread in varied distances. A red pointer was set on their exact location which was beside a thick line that signified a boundary. In short, there was no further passage beyond this point.
"Looks like I won't be bringing back any good news," he muttered under his breath.
Sweat beaded on her forehead as strands of hair fell from her messy ponytail. She tucked them behind her ear momentarily before a nauseous feeling crept once again.
Suddenly, incessant knocking came at the door. "Cynthia? What's taking you so long? There's something I have to show you!" a familiar voice called out from the other side.
"I'll be out when I'm ready to get out. Stop knocking!" replied Cynthia in an irritated tone.
"Woah! What is up with you and that temper today, sis? No wonder Steven left for Kalos two days ago," the younger sister teased. Sensing an incoming irked response, she quickly took her leave. "Take your precious time in the bathroom. I have to take an important call anyway,"
Cynthia heard her sister's footsteps slowly recede from a distance. She groaned in annoyance before placing both hands on either side of the sink. A throbbing headache added to her current discomfort. She knew that in this state, not much of her research can be accomplished. She may have to take an early leave and resume work in the comforts of home. While the idea of putting off tasks that can accomplished at the moment didn't appeal to Cynthia, she knew when to listen to her body.
About an hour ago, she had just arrived at the Historical Research Center here in Celestic Town when a sudden urge to vomit nearly sent her to the bushes. Luckily, she was spared from such embarrassing display and managed to go through another hour focusing on her research work. However, the relief did not last long as she soon found herself heaving and expelling every remainder of breakfast down the toilet.
Cynthia stared blankly at the sink as her mind tried to comprehend the situation and what she intends to do. At this moment, research on the stone tablets weighed heavily on her shoulders. With that, she quickly freshened up before making her way to the main library.
Upon arriving, she was met with the earthy aroma of old books and the lingering scent of ink. The place was relatively quiet aside from the riffling of pages, clicking of keyboards, and the occasional whispering among colleagues. Cynthia's attention landed on a familiar figure sitting at the farthest corner. From the wavy brown hair that rivaled the length of her own blonde locks, to the steel grey eyes that bore the same calculating gaze, there was no doubt to their blood relation.
Cynthia passed rows of tables on the center before quietly slipping to a corner aisle. A mahogany table contained stacks of books and papers neatly placed on the side where her sister sat; a stark contrast to her own cluttered workspace on the other end.
"Carina," she quietly called out to her younger sister.
A small smile formed on Carina's face, but it quickly vanished upon seeing her sister's appearance. "Are you okay? You look really pale," she asked in concern.
"I'm fine. It's probably just the lack of sleep. I've been spending a lot of my evenings researching on those stone tablets," Cynthia replied as she moved some of her strewn papers to the side. "You wanted to show me something?"
The younger of the two didn't seem convinced, but opted to brush it off. She trusted Cynthia enough to know that it isn't a cause for alarm. She took a leather-bound book from the pile on her side and handed it carefully to her elder sister. "I believe you were looking for this?"
Cynthia took the item with both hands and examined its appearance. The book was covered in dark, worn-out leather with scuffed marks. Dust collected along the inner spine and hinges. She flipped through the first pages and felt the roughness of paper against her fingers. On the front cover, the title was engraved in golden script.
Historical Compilation and Documentation on Nautical and Land Navigations
"You still haven't told my why you were looking for that. I thought your research solely revolved around our efforts in locating the third stone tablet?" Carina asked, scooting closer to Cynthia.
"Yes, but I found something rather… interesting," the blonde woman flipped the book open and skimmed through each page. In a few minutes, she managed to find the needed information. Cynthia retrieved a laptop from her bag and opened a file containing a series of symbols and coordinates.
Carina immediately recognized the symbols as the ones written on the stone tablets in their possession. Her gaze landed on the open book where illustrations of what appeared to be an old sailor's map and a vintage compass were shown. By now, her curiosity was piqued as to what discovery her elder sister has made.
"Decrypting these symbols required our extensive research on the earliest writing systems dating back to antiquity. That lead came from the synergists 5 years ago when they sensed raw energy emanating from the stone tablets," Cynthia started.
"And that raw energy…" the younger sister continued the line of thought. She turned to where a metal plate with ancient inscribing was encased in vitrine, "… was said to originate from the Unown,"
"Yes," Cynthia replied as she followed her sister's line of sight. "True enough, several studies shown that the earliest written symbols were based from the different morphologies of the Unown. It was originally our nomadic ancestors' attempts to record encounters in the wild. Eventually, civilizations were formed and the people needed a standardized form of communication. They made use of the same symbols and designated phonemes that represented certain objects or ideas. Little did those people know, they've laid the foundations of language,"
A chuckle came from a certain brown-haired woman. "You're rattling on the topic again, sis. I know this is your forte, but don't get too carried away,"
Cynthia looked away in embarrassment, but immediately regained composure. She cleared her throat before continuing, "Sorry. Bottomline is that the Unown have some association with the symbols. That's how we were able to decode much of what was inscribed,"
Carina gestured to the open book in front of them, obviously wondering how a history on navigation relates to anything they've discussed so far.
"That man, Sidero, worshipped so-called 'celestial gods' that may have been his driving force to instigating the Blood Moon Invasion. Our perspective of the situation is that he alone was able to communicate with those celestial gods. However…" Cynthia paused momentarily as she picked up the open book and held it to the side of her laptop. "These coordinates on screen are what we've decoded, and the ones here on the book are sample nautical chart coordinates used during the age of exploration. If you look closely, there is a standardized format followed by navigators of those times whenever they write coordinates,"
"And the decoded coordinates from the stone tablets follow the same format. We never noticed it before because we always rearranged them according to the modern system," the younger sister said in realization.
"Precisely, and that may only mean one thing," she silently closed the book and searched the corner where they sat for any presence besides their own. Cynthia lowered her voice, making sure that only her sister would hear, "If Sidero was in direct communication with a celestial being, why would he encode the third stone tablet's location in symbols decipherable in our language? Someone outside our world wouldn't understand or would care less. That in itself is already an indication that Sidero wasn't working alone. There is someone else from our world who is also communicating with supposed beings. And if I am to presume anything at all, that other one is most likely involved with the umbral mandrake's reappearance in Silver Town,"
The sound of waves crashing on the shore filled his ears as he sat silently on a large rock. He felt the cool breeze against his face, a distinct saltiness in the ocean air. The pale moonlight casted shadows over the docks, but reflected a moonglade track on the ocean before him. From afar stood the Tower of Mastery in all its glory, enclosed and protected by the stone walls of its fort. During the low tide, a thin strip of land reveals a path which allows access to the tower on foot.
Steven turned to the night sky above. The stars shone brightly forming constellations that he identified in an instant, likely out of habit. He traced a finger in the sky, connecting each star like a point.
The first he could make out was the Gligar Constellation in the south, one that is known to decorate the skies during summer nights. Somewhere above it to the north was the Gardevoir Constellation, one of the most magnificent and recogn—.
The sudden ringing inside his pocket caught Steven's attention. He took out the phone and an affectionate smile formed on his face upon seeing a toddler appear on screen. He could hear his wife's voice somewhere in the background trying to take the device from the toddler's grasp.
"-phone yet- Garnet, I said-not-pressed the right contact,"
He let out a light chuckle as the two most important ladies in his life playfully argued over the phone. He moved closer to the docks where the lighting could illuminate his features. "Someone really missed me," Steven addressed his daughter who was giggling upon seeing his face.
Cynthia soon appeared beside Garnet, arms wrapped around the girl. "She's not the only one, you know," the woman said softly. "How are things there in Kalos? Did you seal a new business deal?"
"I sure did," Steven replied with enthusiasm, "Kalos is thriving as always. I'm actually spending the night here in Shalour City before I head home tomorrow afternoon,"
"Shalour? Wait, does that mean you tried the coordinates in Reflection Cave?"
"Yes, and sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I expected my stay here to be entirely business-related, but I managed to finish negotiations earlier. So, I decided to check out Reflection Cave to see if it matches the new terrain coordinates," he explained, noticing his wife's expectant gaze. The man quickly dismissed any of her hopes that he finally found the correct location of the third stone tablet.
"I see. That's fine. We still have more places being searched by the excavation units," Cynthia replied. "I'm just hoping that Luca would finally reveal important leads during the champions league in a few days,"
Steven stroked his chin in thought. A few more days before they learn everything about the catastrophe that is the Blood Moon Invasion. While he was thrilled to finally see his wife battling again to defend her title as Champion, he could never truly brush aside the prospect of finally gaining answers to the events that occurred 5 years ago.
The upcoming Sinnoh Champions League was bound to be more than just a tournament…
"Dada-dy!" Garnet suddenly called, effectively catching the man's attention.
Steven was slightly surprised, but it was a welcome one. This was one of the rare moments where his daughter actually addressed him. He never understood how Garnet managed to avoid calling him anything when she would say 'mama' to Cynthia for more than a dozen times a day. Heck, the toddler knew how to pronounce words like 'Battle' and 'Pokémon', but could never bring herself to call him 'daddy, papa, or dada'.
Garnet must really miss him.
"I think she wants to show you the new backpack Carina gave her today. It's funny how my sister has this one-sided rivalry with Diantha when it comes to gifts. She fails to realize that our baby girl's true happiness is rocks," Cynthia said humorously as she watched her daughter grab a leather backpack on the sofa.
"I wonder where she gets that from," the man laughed in reply.
Pink and orange hues scattered among wispy clouds as the sun began to set in the horizon. Flocks of Flying Type Pokémon formed spectacular displays of aerial formations in the sky. Similarly, several Water-Type Pokémon in the sea below leaped out of the water, some engaging in territorial battles with the other species.
Winona adjusted her helmet as her Tropius began to pick up on speed. She closed her eyes and felt the sensation of wind blowing against their direction. The fabric of her flight suit began to flutter, leaving a ticklish sensation on her skin.
Being in the skies always gave her a feeling of freedom. She could vividly remember her younger self who dreamed of living in the clouds. Winona snickered at such silly dream as she absentmindedly raised her arms to the sides.
Someone else's arms wrapped around her from behind.
"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" a man's voice whispered in her ear.
She smiled before resting her hands on the ones wrapped around her waist. "Every time, my love. Every time."
"Hm? Really? I think every second isn't enough," the man replied as he nuzzled into her neck, turquoise hair blown by the wind.
Winona brushed his locks before leaning closer to her fiancée. They remained in this position for a long stretch of time, simply content to be in each other's arms. At some point, Tropius began to descend on a small patch of land in the middle of the sea. The Fortree Gym Leader understood that her partner was exhausted from the journey.
"Take a good rest. You flew quite far already," Winona told the Pokémon before recalling it. She took out another Pokéball containing her Altaria. "I only brought three of my partners with me today, but Slateport City shouldn't be too far from here,"
Wallace didn't seem to be listening. "Something is approaching," he announced in a serious tone. From afar, he could see three sizeable figures flailing wildly in the air.
"The one in the middle looks like a Dragonite. There's also a Hydreigon and… is that a Garchomp?" she pointed to each figure. A feeling of apprehension crept inside her upon realizing that the Dragons were headed in their direction at great speed.
In a flash, Wallace threw a Pokéball in the air before grabbing Winona and flinging her towards the sea. A Milotic emerged and caught the surprised gym leader before she fell on the water. Immediately, a blue beam of energy struck the piece of land where she once stood. The resulting blast expelled dust and steam into the air, only dissipating a few seconds later to reveal three menacing Dragons staring down at the couple and Milotic.
Wallace stood near his ace's tail and gestured the elegant Water-Type to elevate him. The Pokémon obeyed its master and brought him to level with the opposing foes.
"Just as I thought. Their eyes are blood red," the man announced as a drop of sweat fell from his forehead. "Lance was right. The situation in Silver Town was bound to reach other regions as well,"
Winona felt her legs weaken upon realization of her fiancée's words. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of whip-like marks on the Dragon-Types' necks. "Wallace, I think a Penumbral Reed is controlling them. The whip marks on their necks are still bleeding,"
The man nodded in agreement before taking out a Pokéball from his belt. "Then we'll have to force that night beast to unmask itself from its camouflage," he peeked below where the woman stood on his Milotic's body. "How about a tag battle, dear? These things will likely attack from above, but the sky is your domain, right?"
The couple exchanged smirks before calling out their Pokémon in battle.
"Altaria and Pelipper! Show them your elegant choreography!"
"Walrein and Seaking! Set the battlefield with your magnificence!"
Flashes of red energies were released which instantly morphed into physical beings. The champion and gym leader stood side by side; one dominated the skies, and the other in command of the seas.
The Hoenn Champion made the first move. "Seaking use Rain Dance! Walrein use Ice Beam on the water!"
Billowing fins emerged from the waves, revealing an orange aquatic Pokémon specked with black markings. It propelled itself into the water and performed a choreography of movements, from swaying, yawing, rolling, and the occasional leaping in an arc. Soon, it summoned a torrential rainfall that made it difficult for the Dragon-Types to smoothly maneuver in flight. The Walrein followed suit by shooting a beam of pure ice, effectively freezing a large portion of the sea to create a solid platform. The resounding slap of its flippers on ice was heard against the rain as it climbed on the surface.
Winona's team remained still as they awaited her orders. In comparison to the Dragon-Types, her Pokémon were trained to take flight in all weather conditions. "Pelipper and Altaria, use Aerial Ace and aim for those marks on their necks!"
Both Flying-Types were engulfed in white streaks of light as they sped at extreme velocity towards their targets. The opposing Dragons launched their attacks in unison, forming a helix of Flamethrower, Dragon Breath, and Hyper Beam.
"Pelipper, fly ahead of Altaria and use protect!" Winona quickly commanded.
The water bird continued its Aerial Ace to catch up to its companion. As it reached ahead, Pelipper immediately summoned a green barrier without halting trajectory. The helix triple attack landed on the barrier, successfully protecting both of the gym leader's Pokémon. Seeing the opportunity, Altaria dove to dodge its companion at the front before swiftly bolting towards the Dragonite's neck area.
However, the Garchomp quickly attempted to block the attack with Brick Break.
"Walrein, use Sheer Cold on the Garchomp and intercept its attack!" Wallace ordered.
A powerful burst of hail and snow froze the land shark's fins. The sudden heavy weight forced it to descend, perfectly in reach by Wallace's Seaking. The Hoenn Champion wasted no opportunity in calling out a Fury Attack.
Meanwhile, the Altaria managed to land an Aerial Ace on the Dragonite's neck area. The draconic bipedal stumbled backwards before falling on the water. However, the avian Pokémon was left unguarded to which the Hydreigon charged with Giga Impact. The three-headed draconic was enveloped in purple energy as orange streak spiraled towards its front, delivering a clean hit on Altaria.
"Pelipper, Aerial Ace!" Winona quickly ordered.
The Flying-Type was once again surrounded in white streaks of light, speeding towards the Hydreigon. This time, it successfully delivered a direct hit. However, the Garchomp and Dragonite appeared behind Pelipper. With a simultaneous release of Flamethrower and Hyper Beam, the Flying-Type was hurled towards Winona.
Luckily, the woman was quick to react and immediately recalled her partner back in its Pokéball. She wiped her drenched face, finding it harder to see through the ensuing rainfall. Wallace shot her a quick glance which she returned with a determined smile. "Let's finish this," she announced.
The man took off his white beret and held it against his chest. He gestured to the battle in front of them, "Ladies first, my dear,"
"Alright, fly in circles around them and use Dragon Dance at the same time, Altaria!"
Her partner obeyed and began circling the three Dragon-Types while performing a mystical dance. Winona waited for the opposing foes to make a move. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait for so long before they began tailing behind her partner.
"Use Aerial Ace, but head straight to the ice platform!"
The avian Pokémon bolted downwards, the three Dragon-Types following suit as they prepared to launch their respective attacks.
Time slowed in Winona's mind. She counted the seconds as her partner neared the frozen waters. Rain drops fell on her eyes, but she tried her best to keep focus and alert.
"Now Walrein! Break the ice with as much force as you can muster!" Wallace's voice boomed.
The Pokémon followed its master's command and forcefully slammed its flippers and body on the frozen platform, sending shards and chunks of ice hurtling upwards. At that moment, Winona ordered her Altaria to change trajectory.
The Dragon-Types were caught by surprise when the ice was propelled to their direction, effectively knocking them into the water.
The heavy downpour of rain continued, but the battlefield became still. All three Dragon-Types remained underwater. Wallace and Winona waited for them to resurface, only to be met by the sudden unveiling of the suspected Penumbral Reed. Throughout the entire battle, it remained invisible to the naked eye.
"It finally showed itself," whispered Wallace.
The grass-like creature eerily levitated in front of the couple, twisting its thin jointed stems that extended below the sea. The Hoenn Champion surmised that the end of each stem was still attached to the necks of the Dragon-Types. He felt his skin crawl just by observing the night beast in front of him.
"It's been five years, but these things are still creepy," he voiced out.
The Penumbral Reed morphed into the shape of an inky humanoid, stems appearing like tentacles in this form. Its empty eye sockets glowed a deep red, channeling an equally-red glowing energy to its tentacles. Suddenly, the Pokémon under its control emerged from the water.
Blood red eyes.
The moment Wallace saw these eyes, he knew that they had to end the battle quickly. "Winona? Do you trust me?"
The woman was taken aback by such question. "What? Wallace, we're in the middle of a battle!"
"I know. There's a way to end it, but I need to know…" the man faced his fiancée, "… do you trust me?"
Winona was utterly confused, but gave him an honest answer. "Of course! What kind of fiancée would I be if I didn't? I trust you even with my life,"
That was all he needed to hear.
"Recall your Pokémon" he said nonchalantly.
"What?"
"You trust me, right? Then, recall your Altaria like how I'm doing with my Walrein and Seaking,"
Winona had to resist the urge to punch him in the face. Surely, he is not giving up so easily? However, she remembered that this was Wallace. The man knew nothing about quitting. He was the most relentless person she has ever met; something that Steven himself would agree on.
"Fine, but I'll have you know that I prefer if we attend our upcoming wedding alive!" she growled.
The turquoise-haired man gave her a wide smile. "Why, of course! I am our wedding planner after all. How could I jeopardize such wondrous occasion with my decisions!" he replied with his flamboyant exuberance.
Their conversation was cut short when a Dragon Breath landed in front, almost knocking them off Milotic. Wallace wrapped an arm around his fiancée and motioned for her to securely grab onto his Pokémon.
The Penumbral Reed along with the Dragon-Types careened downwards in their position, powerful attacks ready to be released.
"I almost forgot. Could you hold your breath? Like that time you first saw me naked in the shower," he whispered into her ear.
Winona blushed at the memory. The gym leader was about to snap at Wallace when she noticed the ebbing water on a distant patch of land.
"Summon your biggest wave, Wailord!"
A colossal Pokémon leaped out of the sea. From behind it, a deadly hundred-foot tidal wave was seconds into caving in on them. In that moment, Winona understood the brilliant yet highly dangerous plan. The wave was to engulf everything in its path which included them, the Penumbral Reed, and the Dragon-types.
She held on tightly to Milotic and braced for impact by closing her eyes and holding her breath. The last thing she remembers before a tremendous force slammed into them was the gentle touch of her fiancée, whispering promises of a life they would spend together.
"Slateport City is currently experiencing knee-high flooding due to a supposed training 'gimmick' by Hoenn Champion Wallace at open sea. Residents say that a series of waves suddenly came crashing along the shores reaching as far as the city center. Reports say that this occurred yesterday evening in local Hoenn time,"
"I thought it was Kyogre that brought the waves! You can imagine my disappointment when I saw a Wailord instead. Champion Wallace was there, and his girlfriend. Still, I think Steven was the better champ—"
"Now wait just a minute! I think this child here has had enough of the interview, hm? We ARE talking about the flood I accidentally brought here in Slateport. Now, weren't you just asking about my narrative on the matter?"
Steven and Cynthia sat on the living room sofa, mouths slightly agape as they watched what unfolded on television. The pitter-patter of little feet approached the TV as a toddler pointed at the turquoise-haired man being interviewed by reporters.
"Uncle Wawwace!" she tittered upon seeing her godfather on screen.
"Yes, sweetie. Uncle Wallace is on the news again," Cynthia replied with a small smile.
"— and quite a formidable trainer! So, I trained and trained for weeks with my beloved water-types. However, I may have overpowered my Wailord's Surf attack which may explain the… flooding… Oh well! It's not much of a worry. The Hoenn League is always ready to pay for any damages caused by my expert training! After all, I haven't faced challengers for five years but that doesn't mean it will remain like that forever. In a way, training at open sea is definitely a good start before the Champions League opens once again!"
Cynthia couldn't believe what she was hearing, causing her to spill some tea on her sleeves. "He did not just say that,"
Steven's eyes squinted as he rubbed his temples. He mentally face palmed at every second of the news involving his close friend. "I better call him to see how Winona is doing,"
"Hm? Just Winona? Wallace might be injured too,"
The man practically scoffed. "We just saw him shove a child behind his back during that interview. He's perfectly fine, at least physically," he blurted. Folding the sleeves of his button-down shirt, Steven took his phone from a nearby counter and dialed Wallace's number.
"Steven! You finally called! I thought you forgot about me," a familiar voice dramatically announced.
"What did you do now? Your face is all over the news," he asked, leaning slightly on the counter.
"Why, I was practicing a new gimmick. Did you not watch my interview?" Wallace replied sarcastically. "Although that was a lie of course,"
"I knew it was. So, what world-shaking event happened for you to summon a tidal wave large enough to flood a bustling city?"
The current Hoenn Champion suddenly fell silent. Steven immediately picked up on this and realized that there might really be a serious reason for his friend's actions. "Wallace? What happened?"
"You wouldn't believe what almost killed me and my Winona," a nervous laughter came from the other end. "It was like staring directly into your own death,"
Steven felt something hug his leg. He looked down and met the innocent blue eyes of his daughter who was observing him curiously. Showing a soft smile, he affectionately placed a hand on top of her head.
His attention shifted to the television screen where a headline was flashed in red.
"This just in, the evacuation of residents in Silver Town, Johto has begun. Reports say that the Champion Lance intercepted yet another attack by an Umbral Mandrake. Just a few weeks ago, restricted access to the town borders was implemented due to the sudden cases of disappearances. The state of investigations is currently unknown. Meanwhile, nearby routes and cities have reported sightings of the two night beasts, namely the Umbral Mandrakes and Penumbral Reeds. This was—"
Cynthia sent her husband a worried look.
He returned it with an equally concerned one.
"Steven? Are you still there?" a voice called out from the phone.
"Yeah, I'm listening. What was it that almost got you killed again?" he asked, gaze fixed on the blurred image of a supposed Penumbral Reed on the TV screen.
This chapter took a while. University has my entire schedule packed. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed Wallace and Winona's debut in the story!
I also recommend checking my profile bio since I recently added a summary of this story's general flow. It'll be updated as more chapters come along.
NEXT UP: The Sinnoh Champions League