I apologize for the lack of review responses. This chapter was published the week of one my chemo infusions and I've mostly been bedridden. I barely remembered to get up to post this, so I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 86: Plan of Attack
The various teams were in collective states of shock. All anyone could do was stare blankly at the slick, flaming patches of black liquid lying where Serperior once stood. Thick, murky smoke billowed up from the fire.
Tessa broke out of her stupor first. "Gallian!" she keened, stumbling as she tried racing toward the site of the explosion. Tessa only made it a few steps before falling to her knees. Tears streamed down her face. Her ears were ringing and her aura sense was muted. She shakily got back to her feet, but Silvally blocked her path. The blast had singed the feathers on the right half of his face and chest plume.
"You can't go over there. It's not safe. That stuff looks toxic," he said.
"I'm a steel-type." Tessa shoved him aside. "I can't stand here. Gallian… my brother…" She grabbed an aura feeler and squeezed it. "Work, damn it! He can't… he's got to still be here!"
Silvally stepped in front of her, again. "Those puddles aren't some poison-type attack. They look… alien," he said, leg muscles tensing. Sparks jumped about on his cheek-bolts.
"Then we have to get rid of that slime. Every second we stand here, we—" She cut herself off with a sob. "I can't lose them… they can't be gone."
Milotic slithered past them. Like Silvally, patches of blackened scales peppered her face and body. "Serpy," she whispered, looking down. "Why did this happen? How did this happen? Did Prisma… make it so that would happen?" Milotic glanced at her tail. "Could that have happened to me?" She shuddered. Milotic coiled up. She stuck her head through the coil, unable to continue looking at the spot where her friend once stood.
Shane approached his teammates. "We… we have to try and get rid of the slime, right?" He looked down at the sand. "I could freeze it, but I don't know what good that will do."
"I'll back you up," Silvally said, shifting his ice memories on. His gray eyes glowed. Ice gathered inside his beak. Two Ice Beams snuffed out the flames and lined the black ooze in a layer of ice.
"Is that really going to hold up, though? Won't the slime burn through it?" Blaziken wondered, jogging toward them.
"I've got this," Swampert said. He pressed his fins to the ground. A small fissure split the area with the frozen slime apart. The icy ground fell through the crack. Swampert ended his Earthquake, resealing the ground.
The moment that happened, Tessa's aura feelers shot up. "Two auras! I sense two auras!" she cried, vaulting over a startled Silvally and scrambling forward. Tessa waved her arms to dispel the lingering smoke. Her eyes watered. Her nostrils burned. Tessa didn't care. All that mattered was the hazy auras.
She pushed through the smoke… and found Zoroark lying in the sand, curled up in a ball. Patches of blood spatter surrounded him. Tessa's heart shot into her throat.
Gallian lay next to Zoroark, his fur burned away, revealing patches of red, blistered, bleeding skin. His scythe and tail had been blown off. Only jagged stumps remained. A gash lay across the left side of his face, much like the scar Zoroark had.
Her legs grew weak. Tessa dropped to her knees, reaching a trembling paw toward her brother, but leaving it hovering over him. His aura was fading fast. She had to act or she would surely lose him.
Tessa withdrew her paw and stood up. "Hey! I need some help, here! Shane, Espy… whoever has any healing items… please!" she shouted, waving her paws frantically. Tessa rubbed tears out of her eyes. She wanted to collapse. To scream as loud as possible. But she held her composure. Hysterics wouldn't help her brother.
"Oh, gods, they're a total mess!" Shane cried, jogging up beside Tessa. Not even a second passed before he added, "Sorry. That was uncalled for. I just… I don't know how I'm supposed to heal this."
"Well, you have to try. That's my brother! I can't lose him, Shane!" Tessa wrung her paws together to stop herself from grabbing Shane's shoulders and shaking him. He clearly wanted to help and her nervous energy would only hinder his efforts.
"R-Right, right." Shane sat down beside Gallian. "I'll try my best with Gallian, but someone needs to help Zoroark." He looked around. "Where's Comfey? Wasn't she with the Rem Canyon team?"
"No idea. But I've got some berries I can try on Zoroark," Espy said, running toward him. Silvally joined her, stealing nervous glances back at Gallian.
Because Gallian's chest was so badly burned, Shane gently placed his forepaws on Gallian's leg. He concentrated, trying to draw up healing energy from his spirit. However, he didn't get the familiar warmth that accompanied his odd Morning Sun variation. He thought about the battles. Between trying to help his teammates and using his golden light balls, Shane realized he had stretched himself too thin. Shane glanced at his looplet, then shot Tessa a despondent look.
Tessa picked up the cue right away. She flipped open her bag. "Elixir, elixir, elixir," she mumbled, then shakily pulled one out. Tessa uttered a loud, "Here, drink up!" Her paws trembled so much she nearly fumbled her handoff to Shane, but he caught it with his ESP.
Shane gulped down the elixir. Warmth stirred in his belly. He shut his eyes and concentrated once again. This time, the warmth spread throughout his body. Sighing in relief, Shane glowed orange. It was working. Orange light trickled onto Gallian's forelegs, then crept across his frame. His blisters slowly retracted. The red, bloody patches in his skin sealed up. It wasn't a complete success, though. His horn and tail remained broken. None of his fur grew back. A jagged scar lay across the left side of his face.
Tessa had a Reviver Seed in her paws. A wiry arm shot out in front of her.
"You can't give him that."
She dropped the seed with a startled gasp. Blaziken caught it in his other hand. "C'mon, Tessa. Look at him. If you wake your brother up, he's going to be in a lot of pain. He'll probably slip into shock and pass out again." He shook his head. "We've got to do something about all his missing fur."
"What can we do? We're in the middle of nowhere!" Tessa said, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "And I think we lost Mag—"
Oh, bless the stars. You're all free!
Shane and Tessa turned to find Magearna speeding toward them, with a pair of wheels protruding from the pointed tips of her feet. Shane's jaw dropped.
"She… she's a go-kart, too?" he gasped. Shane was so focused on Magearna's accessories, he didn't realize that Comfey, Sticky, Kahuna Raichu, and Latias were all floating after her. When he finally noticed them, his tails shot up in surprise, then curled in alarm. Latias had ugly, pitch-black scars peppering her face, belly, and wings. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her paws trembled.
Magearna reached the group, first. She did a quick survey, noting the most injured Pokémon: Gallian, Zoroark, Hakamo-o, and Haxorus. This is terrifible! Quite literally fifty percent terrific and fifty percent terrible! she said, laying her head in her arms and shaking it. I am so conflicted. Seeing our captured compatriots free has sent my joyification levels to sixty-two percent, but these awful injuries have ratchentified my panic levels to sixty-three percent!
"Wait, you mean you weren't trapped in that crazy energy dome?" Swampert asked, scratching his head.
Correct. Comfey, Sticky, and I were left outside. Upon seeing your sceneuation, I activated my recently-completed Geartronic Leg Acceleratofiers and went straight to Circadian Coast to get help, Magearna explained, pointing to her legs as the wheels retracted inside of them.
"We followed her, but, well, the place is in a bit of a panic with the whole flow of time stopping," Comfey added. "We found Latias, though. I tried to heal her up as best I could, but…" Her petals drooped.
"Well, we've got a serious situation here. A lot of folks are badly hurt," Blaziken said, pointing to Gallian and Zoroark. The latter was covered in splotches of smushed berry, thanks to Espy and Silvally.
"I can see that." Comfey floated toward Gallian. She frowned. "Nngh. I don't have the tools to handle this out here. I need some real equipment, like my fur-restoring solution." Comfey glanced at Kahuna Raichu. "No disrespect intended, Kahuna, but your infirmary's not equipped to deal with the types of injuries the Prism Virus inflicts."
Kahuna Raichu raised his paws. "I understand, yeah. I was hoping I might be able to offer a bit of help, but I've gotta admit, I'm not really sure where to even begin." He scratched his right ear. "Plus, there's the panic going on at the resort. Haven't seen things this bad since the guild sounded evacuation calls back when Dark Matter attacked." He fidgeted with his Totem Crystal. "I'm thinking I've gotta get folks into the Catacombs, yeah. But, like, there are way too many for me to handle by myself. I used up my Z-Power and it hasn't come back."
Luxeira trotted up to Kahuna Raichu. "I think this is where I step in."
"Whoa! A blue Houndoom? That's, uh—"
"It's a long story. The short version is that Sticky and I were trained for situations like yours," Luxeira said, pointing at her teammate. "While I never got to put that training into practice, I still think I can help you with the evacuation efforts." She paused to look back at Team Go-Getters and Team Radiance. Her brow furrowed. "Um, you guys are okay with it? I was expecting you to get upset."
"Well, strength in numbers would really help with the Prism Virus, but you told us you're not a good battler. So, if you want to help people evacuate underground, then go right ahead," Silvally said. He looked at his teammates, who nodded their support.
"Oh." Luxeira blinked. "Th-thanks, guys. I appreciate it." She looked up at Sticky. "What about you?"
"I'm still… not doing so hot after taking that blast." Sticky rubbed his head. "I'd much rather stick with you than try to fight. At this point, I think I'd be a liability."
Seraph zipped over to them. She stumbled out of her lightning-dash, clutching her belly. "In… in that case… I'm going with you two," she declared, earning surprised looks. "What? C'mon, you said it yourself. You've only trained for this kind of stuff. I've led evacuations before." Seraph rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Besides… I, uh…" She scratched the back of her neck. "I kinda want to stick with you guys."
Tessa rubbed the bridge of her brow. "Okay, not to sound insensitive or anything, but could we save this touchy-feely stuff for a better time?" she growled, kneeling down by Gallian. "My brother needs help. A lot of us need help. We can't get it out here." She regretted her harsh tone, but knew it had to be said.
Err… right. Magearna turned to Kahuna Raichu and Team Paradox. She produced a Gear-Com unit. Here. I'm only about 41.5 percent confident this will work underground. But, even still, it's best we try to stay in contact with each other.
"Understood," Seraph said, taking the Gear-Com. "You guys stay safe."
Same to you. Magearna bowed, bidding them farewell. She then walked back over to Team Radiance. It would appear that we need to return to Aeon Town. I don't see any way around it. Comfey's healing equipment should still be in the Observatory. And, with Metagross out of the picture, we don't have any reason to fear going there.
"But how are we supposed to get there? It's on the other side of the continent!" Tessa said, balling her paws into fists. "The water's frozen in time, so we can't call a Sharpedo Sailor. But if we try walking across it, we won't get there until morning!"
"What about Entercards? Shane and Espeon made one in Sunset Shoals. So, I'll bet they can do it again," Silvally said, looking at his teammates while his tail wagged. His smile faded when Shane's ears and tails drooped.
"I… I used the Dawn Shard to do it. But they're…" Shane's voice trailed off. Now that he wasn't in immediate danger, the memory of his light ball attack costing the group all the Dawn Shards crept back into his mind. "It's all my fault," he whispered.
"What if we had Latias carry over the people who are in the roughest shape?" Blaziken proposed. He looked at Latias, who wilted.
"I… I don't…" She shuddered. A muffled whimper escaped her lips.
"Okay. Guess that won't work." Blaziken's shoulders sagged. "So, what are we gonna do?"
To Blaziken's surprise, Raichu walked up beside him. "We can use an Entercard," she said. "I know how to make 'em." She looked at Espy. "Umbreon gave me some back when we were dealing with Kyurem, remember? He eventually taught me how to craft them."
"O-Oh, r-right," Espy squeaked. Memories of past heated exchanges with Team Paradise flooded her mind. She asked Silvally to help her reconcile, but this unfortune twist had thrown a wrench into her plan. Espy shook her head. She had to push those thoughts aside. Everyone was counting on her. "Yeah, okay. Let's, y'know, get it set up."
She and Raichu stood opposite one another. They performed the same routine Espy did with Shane back in Sunset Shoals. Espy kept Aeon Port at the forefront of her mind while the card formed up. With the forcefield up, it was the safest area to warp to.
Raichu snagged the card and handed it to Espy. "Okay. Get that Magnagate running so we can hit the road."
Espy grabbed it with her telekinesis and placed it on the ground. A multilayered circle with various runes and infinity symbols appeared. Espy stood outside of it. Her teammates watched as she concentrated on the card, channeling her psychic energy into it.
Shane grabbed an elixir from Tessa's bag and rushed it to Espy when he noticed her legs growing weak. She gulped it down, then finished opening up the portal. "Quickly, everyone. Head through before it closes!"
The group proceeded into the portal. Silvally carried Gallian and Zoroark on his back. Swampert kept Hakamo-o cradled in his arms. Espy went through the Magnagate last, sealing it up behind her. The Entercard then disappeared into thin air.
Silence and stillness permeated the beach for a minute. Then, the parts of the ground Swampert had sealed up burst apart. Clumps of paralyzed sand floated in midair. Black smoke vented up from the newly-torn fissure. Tiny droplets inched up onto the surface. Then, a steady stream of black ooze rose up and splattered on the ground, leaving scattered trails of frost behind it.
As the puddle bubbled, black, thorny chains shot up from the ground. They stabbed the puddle from above, then collapsed on top of it. The chains swirled about, gathering as much of the muck as they could and clumping it into a ball. Slowly, the slime solidified into an orb. The chains rose into the air, their ends trailing off like a metal cape. The black sphere sat nestled within the chains.
A crack ran down the center of the orb. Purple light emerged, pushing the rift apart until it formed into a heart. A purple iris materialized inside of the heart. The newly-formed eye swiveled about inside the chains. It smoldered with dark energy.
"WrEtChED vERmIN."
The chains grinded together, inexplicably creating a haggard, wheezing voice.
"EvEN iF wE ArE… StUcK tOGeTher… I wIlL nOt bE DeNiED."
Despite lacking any sort of body, the chain cluster seemed to limp through the air.
"I wIlL… SiLEnCE yOu… FoR GooD… tHEn FiNiSH wHAt We sTArtEd. AnD tHat DeTesTaBlE wOmAn… ShE WiLl rEGreT BeInG BoRn… uSeLeSs… AnD hUmAN."
The eye flashed and the chains shifted their positions, taking the form of two crescent-shaped wings.
"YoU WiLl AlL meEt… a SwIfT… aNd MErCIlEsS EnD."
Chain wings flapped. The eye rose higher in the air.
"It WiLl bE… bUt a SImPle mAtTeR."
~Prism Wasteland~
Zero stood at the edge of her newly-completed altar, looking out across what was left of the Hidden Land. Most of her view was obscured by ominous red and purple clouds, bristling with black lightning. She could make out scattered bits of fluorescent-purple acid where the ocean used to be.
Her aura dreadlocks tensed. Zero raised her free paw. The six balls she had housed her "team" in levitated in front of her. The buttons in the center had grayed out.
She tightened her grip on her scepter. "So, in the end, they couldn't hold their ground, after all. What a waste." Her right eye flashed. The balls shattered in unison. Their broken pieces dissolved into dust and Zero's feet.
"I don't know what condition those misguided idiots are in, but they'll no doubt try to come here and stop me," Zero growled, turning and walking across the altar. A glowing transmutation circle lay on the floor, with gems littered around its many rings and the winged-heart sigil in the center. Zero paused and looked down. "I trust you can stall them longer than those worthless explorers I had captured, yes?"
She looked up. Lugia sat in the center of the altar. The flames around his irises flickered. He tucked his dark purple head into his armored belly. Zero clenched her free paw. Static clouds popped up around Lugia. Ley line chains shot out, latching onto Lugia's wings and head. They forcibly lowered his head so he was eye-level with Zero. She grabbed his beak and squeezed.
"I said… I trust that you can stall them longer than those worthless explorers I had captured, yes?" she seethed, digging her claws into Lugia chin.
Lugia nodded. Zero released his beak, then the chains pulled him upright. Lugia silently bowed his head. Zero walked around him, passing large, black, chitinous horns sticking up from the floor. Each horn had several pustules filled with purple fluid. Zero ignored them, along with the deep red glow emanating from below the altar. She approached a marble staircase and made her way up.
At the top of it sat another circular platform. It was much smaller than the one below Zero. It had the winged-heart sigil superimposed over a glyph of a Time Gear, complete with its protective barrier. Zero walked across the platform and reached a stone slab, similar to the one from the original Temporal Pinnacle. A deep-red version of Temporal Tower's symbol lay within the center of the slab. It had five notches carved into it; one for each Time Gear. However, this slab had stone wings on either side, devilish horns protruding from its top, and a single eye with a spiral-shaped iris in the very center.
"It was a right pain trying to build this thing. It better work," she growled. Absol's spirit wasn't stirring, so at the very least nothing catastrophic would happen. Zero dispelled her staff. She raised both paws. The Time Gears levitated out around her. She thrust her arms down. The Time Gears flew into the notches and clicked into place.
The rune's red glow turned blue. Zero turned around and released Primal Dialga onto the platform. He immediately turned toward her, glaring with his fierce, molten-red eyes. The red lines on his body flashed.
"Grr… rrr…" Primal Dialga sucked in a breath. Tachyons gathered in his mouth.
"Be still," Zero ordered, raising her right paw while a rainbow glow flickered around her mask.
Primal Dialga lowered his head. A growl rumbled in the back of his throat.
"Look. There are your precious Time Gears." Zero gestured to the slab behind her. "And I've, erm, reconstructed Temporal Tower to the best of my abilities." Looking out at the altar, she knew that was far from the truth. What the ley lines had woven didn't resemble Temporal Tower in the slightest. Still, she hoped it might be enough to snap Primal Dialga back to normal, even if only for a few seconds.
Primal Dialga stood up tall. He narrowed his blazing eyes at the Time Gears sparkling in their notches on the slab. His heavy breathing slowed down. "Grr… rrr… ruh?" The glow faded from his eyes. His metallic scales brightened.
Zero's eye flickered blue. "Perfect," she whispered. Zero traced a circular rune in the air, then inscribed an hourglass into it. The rune burst into staticky chains. They descended on Dialga. Before he had the chance to get his bearings straight, the chains wove themselves around his legs. Dialga looked down. His eyes widened. He tried blasting the chains apart, but it was too late. They crept up to his chest-plate and shattered the gem in its center.
The chains burrowed inside Dialga. He arced his head back and screamed. Then, he slumped over. His eyes darkened, as did the metal lines on his body.
"Come on… come on…" Zero clenched her paws into fists. Her aura dreadlocks tensed. They lashed at the air like a set of whips.
Static ripples spread out over Dialga's frame. He flickered in and out of existence. Each time he reappeared, black prism armor replaced more and more of his hide. Red crystals replaced his metal plates, casting an ominous glow over his body. Dialga lifted his head up. Empty red eyes stared back at Zero, distorted by Dialga armor. A crack split the center of Dialga's forehead. It parted to reveal a third eye, with red sclera and a black, reptilian iris in the center. The eye looked around, even rolling back into Dialga's head and staring through his armor.
Zero lowered her paws. She formed up a new scepter using Bone Rush energy and slammed it on the ground. That caught Dialga's attention. His third eye spun around too look at her. "Listen up. I want this world reset. You're the 'mon that can make it happen. So, you're going to rewrite this world's timeline so that you and every other god, immortal and lesser, never existed in the first place. Understand?"
She raised her paws. They distorted. Identical ripples of distortion spread over Dialga. He tilted his head up and belted out a Roar of Time. Only, instead of firing tachyons, a static-filled vortex opened up over his head. Dialga's third eye flashed. He fired red light up into the vortex, which slowly began to expand.
Zero glanced back at the Time Gears. They were still glowing. She nodded her approval.
'It won't be long, now. Just a few more hours… and this nightmare will finally be over.'
~Aeon Observatory~
"Thank the gods you're both awake!" Tessa cried, wrapping her arms around Gallian and Zoroark. She didn't even care that leftover traces of Comfey's fur-regenerating slime splattered on her sides. Tessa leaned over and nuzzled the two of them.
"O-Ow. Q-Quit it, sis. That hurts," Gallian whined, trying to push her away with his forelegs.
His flash of pain and discomfort registered in Tessa's aura feelers. She pulled back, raising her arms up with an apologetic look on her face. "I, uh, yeah… probably came in a bit too strong there." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm just… overjoyed. I was so worried we'd lost you two." Tessa's brow furrowed. "What were you thinking running toward Serperior like that?"
Gallian looked down guiltily. "Pretty much the same thing you just said." He glanced at Zoroark. "I thought I was going to lose you. And I couldn't bear that happening again."
Zoroark leaned over, resting his arms on his legs. "Yeah, but…" He looked at Gallian and put his right paw to his forehead. "Now you're in even worse shape than I am."
"I guess that makes us even for what happened at Midday Valley," Gallian said, his tone bittersweet. He tried to look at Comfey, but his leg muscles tensed in protest and he gave up. "Is there really nothing you can do?"
Comfey floated in front of Gallian's face. "I'm sorry. I tried the special cream I'd developed for horn and claw regeneration, but we would've seen signs that it's working by now." Her gaze fell to the ground. "I'm afraid there's nothing else I can offer you. Heck, I'm not entirely sure if Absol horns grow back."
Gallian winced. "I guess…" He bit his lower lip. "Looks like I'm done charging into battle." He looked at his bandaged-up legs. "I mean, I could probably still use Night Slash with my claws and fire a Dark Pulse if I needed to. But…" His voice trailed off and he pawed at the stump where his horn used to be.
"Don't touch it," Comfey chided, waving her flowers in Gallian's face.
"S-Sorry. It's just… it feels so weird. My horn was such an important part of me, but now it's gone." Gallian squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.
Tessa's head drooped. Gallian's guilt and uncertainty tugged at her aura feelers. A dull pain lingered in the back of her head. She sighed. "Mom is—" She sucked in a breath. "She's really doing this." Tessa grabbed her shoulders, suppressing shivers. "I told myself — heck, even my teammates told me — she was being controlled by Necrozma. It was the only way I could stomach what was happening… and what she did to Eevee and Sylveon."
"I was clinging to this tiny thread of hope that, even if Mom wasn't a nice person at heart, if I could rescue her from Necrozma's control, maybe I could get her to respect me… or love me." Tessa shut her eyes and bared her fangs. "But that will never happen." She squeezed her shoulders. "You were right, Gallian. Mom doesn't care about us. She's willing to risk wiping the whole world out just so she can fix problems she doesn't really understand!"
"I mean… yeah, after everything I've been through, I don't have the highest opinion of the gods. But, like, the solution isn't to risk destroying all of time and space!" Tessa said, thrusting her arms apart. Her declaration came out far louder than intended, though. She pulled her paws back toward her chest and hunched over, a sheepish grin on her face. "S-Sorry about that, everyone," she squeaked.
"So, what's going to happen now?" Gallian asked. "I'm out of commission. And weren't you worried about not being able to stand up to Mom?"
Tessa clenched her fists. "Not anymore. I'll never get through to her, so if it's a choice between her and all of you… I'm picking you guys." She slouched over. "No, what really worries me is that, even if we can put a stop to Mom, that won't change the fact that I'll have to live with the knowledge that Mom nearly destroyed the world." Tessa gripped her ears and shook her head. "I already look like a freak compared to what Lucarios are supposed to look like. This'll just make everything wor—"
"Don't say that," Gallian cut in, fixing a sharp look on Tessa. She stiffened. "I, uh…" His expression softened. "Sorry, I can't figure out how I want to phrase this."
Zoroark shakily got to his feet, ignoring the alarmed looks from Comfey, Gallian, and Tessa. He rested a paw on Tessa's shoulder. Her aura feelers tensed. "W-What are you—"
"You're not alone," Zoroark whispered. Tessa cocked her head. Zoroark cleared his throat and stood up straight. "I think what Gallian was trying to tell you is that this isn't a burden you have to bare by yourself. First off, if anyone really chooses to hold what your mom's doing against you, then they can piss off." He flicked his free arm to the side. "They're not worth your time. The only thing that matters is the stuff that you do. At least, that's how I see it."
Zoroark glanced at Gallian, who nodded his approval. "And second… you've got friends who care about you. Family, too." Gallian tried to sit up, but could only find the strength to keep nodding along. "You don't have to bottle things up. Gallian and I will be here for you. And I'm sure your teammates will, too. Whatever thoughts about your mom are clouding up your mind… you can share them with us."
"Yeah. That's, uh, putting it a lot more eloquently than I ever could," Gallian said. He laughed nervously.
"It's what I'm here for, I suppose." Zoroark winked at Gallian. He turned back to Tessa. "Do you want to keep talking about this?"
Tessa gently nudged Zoroark's paw off her shoulder. "I think I'll be okay. Thanks." She helped Zoroark sit back down on the edge of his cot. "To be honest, I'm more concerned about how we're actually supposed to stop Mom. We were so sure reassembling the Dawn Hourglass would give us the edge we needed, but…" Her ears and aura feelers drooped.
Across the room, Shane looked down shamefully. His tails lowered so much they brushed against the stone floor. He knew the loss of the Dawn Shards was on him. Metagross made him panic and attack without really thinking. His attempts to justify his actions to himself proved feeble. He had ruined everyone's hard work and made the team's struggles amount to nothing. How could he not feel awful?
Shane glanced at his looplet. There was, of course, more to his predicament than losing the Shards. There was the matter of the visions he had gotten from the Seaside Shard. In all that chaos that had followed, he didn't properly have time to digest him. Now, he didn't want to think about them. The memories were too gruesome. He could help but cringe. His outer tails brushed against his thighs.
Necrozma had killed him. He'd blown Shane's human body to bits, along with Solgaleo. So, what did that make Shane? Whose spirit was inside of him? Was it really Solgaleo's? Shane had no idea what to think, anymore, especially given the vision involving Dark Matter. A small part of him thought that, perhaps, it was for the best that they had lost the Dawn Shards. But that immediately led to a wave of guilty thoughts. He shrank back, but his tails brushed the wall and he stumbled forward.
"Hey. You doing okay? You haven't said a word since we got back to Aeon Town."
Shane looked up. Silvally stood right in front of him, face ripe with worry and feathers covered in berry juice residue. Shane brushed a forepaw against the floor. "It's just… there's a lot to take in right now."
"Like blaming yourself for losing the Dawn Shards?" Silvally asked, raising a skeptical brow. Shane looked into his eyes, but they were bright-white. No memories were active.
"I'm that easy to read, huh?" Shane whispered, sitting on his haunches.
"More like you're my friend and I've gotten used to how you think," Silvally said, leaning over to nudge Shane shoulder. Shane squeaked. His tails curled around his hind legs. Sighing, Silvally straightened up. "Look, I'm furious about what happened to the Dawn Shards. It's taking all my will power not to lash out over it. But, like, I don't blame you. You followed your instincts. I can't say I would've done things differently."
"So, you can't afford to drag yourself through the mud over this." Silvally glanced at the scuffs and dirt patches on Shane's pelt and cringed. "Err… figuratively speaking, of course."
"I can't help it. I thought I was getting better and controlling my impulses… but instead I went and did the stupidest thing in my whole time as a Pokémon," Shane said. "We had it, Silv. We had the full Hourglass."
"And Metagross was seconds from unleashing a devastating attack that would've rendered it all moot. You did what you thought you had to do and we're still here because of it. We can still fight," Silvally said, determination overtaking his expression.
"Are you sure about that?" Shane said. He raised a foreleg to point at all the filled cots. "Because it kinda feels like our ranks have been depleted."
Before Silvally could answer, one of the curtains encasing a bed opened up. Steenee walked out of it, tossing a used washcloth into a sink on Shane's right. "Sorry, Comfey, it doesn't look like your medicinal leaves are working. Whatever hurt Latias… I don't think you can heal it any more beyond what you did in Circadian Coast," Steenee said, wiping sweat from her brow.
Comfey sighed. "I was afraid of that. Still, thanks for your help."
"Thank Magearna. She's the only reason I was able to get back here so fast," Steenee said, brushing her hands against her waist. "Okay, guess I'll check on Haxorus, then." She walked across the room and ducked under the other curtain currently in use. Espy caught a momentary glimpse of Raichu rubbing Haxorus' back with her paw. She lay down on the floor and buried her head under her forelegs.
Shane sidestepped Silvally and made a beeline for Latias. Blaziken trailed behind him. She lay still on her bed. A pillow covered her face. Shane bit his lower lip. "H-Hey. Uh, are you going to be okay?" he asked, cringing at how stupid a question that was. One look at the medicinal leaves plastered over her body said she was far from okay.
Latias didn't respond. Her neck muscles tensed. The pillow muffled her squeal.
Blaziken knelt down beside her. He put a hand beside her pillow. "Latias, it's Blaziken. Listen, I know you're in rough shape, but do you think you could tell me what happened to you?" He and Shane stood still, waiting for some sort of response. They heard a tiny keen, then Latias lifted her head up. Tears filled her bloodshot eyes.
"Necrozma got Lugia. He corrupted him. My mate… tried to kill me. He got Hoopa. And Latios—" She choked up. "He gave himself up to save me." Latias rubbed her face against her pillow, leaving tearstains. "The Expedition Society was counting on me, but I screwed up. I lost my brother. I lost my mate. I lost the Dusk Hourglass. I failed everyone!" Latias broke down crying. "R… Rayquaza was right. I'm… useless. I'm a failure."
Shane's ears drooped. "D-Don't say that. You've helped us out a lot."
"No." Latias wiped snot from her face. "I missed the most important Gear-Com calls. Now the Dawn Shards and the Tapus are gone."
"Don't blame yourself for that. I'm the one who's at fault, there," Shane said. The fur on the back of his neck prickled when he glanced Silvally's disapproving look. He dismissed it, however. Shane would happily blame himself if it could cheer Latias up even the slightest bit.
"Well, it doesn't make a difference. We have no Hourglasses. We lost Hoopa. The planet's paralyzed. We're screwed!" Latias declared, smacking her bed with a paw. "What can we possibly do, now? We don't have any options."
Blaziken got to his feet and crossed his arms. "That's not true. We can still fight! We'll just take Zero out before she messes up all of time and space!" He raised a fist, drawing a bewildered look from Latias, as well as others in the room. "Look, I know it's not much of a plan, but it's the only thing we can do. Would you rather lie here moping, wondering when you're going to get erased?"
A couple of beds over, Infernape shuddered. "Trust me when I tell you that's something no one should have to experience."
"Uh, yeah! If that crazy lady's messing with Temporal Tower, you can count on us to land a hand!" Feraligatr said, giving the closest to a thumb's up he could manage. Infernape nodded his approval.
"See? Look, I can't imagine how heartbroken you're feeling right now. But think about it. If we're going to have any chance of fixing any of this, then we have to go after Zero," Blaziken said. "I know you're hurt and you think you've screwed up big time. But we could really use your help. No matter what you say, I think you're capable of helping us make a difference." He extended a hand toward her.
"Y-Yeah. What Blaziken said!" Shane added, cursing himself out for not coming up with anything concrete to add. Instead, he gave Latias an encouraging smile and lifted his tails.
Latias slowly hovered off her bed. "Y-You're right. I—" She cut herself off and shook her head. "I can't give up here. I gave up trying to be part of Team Go-Getters. I gave up when Yveltal was chasing me down. I… I'm not making that mistake again. Not when there's so much at stake." She used a spare washcloth to dab her eyes.
Glad to hear it.
Everyone turned toward the infirmary entrance. Magearna stood in the doorway. Forgive me for barging in, however I've managed to connect to the Expedition Society. I believe we need to strategerize what our plan of action is. Yes, more time to rest would be optimal, but we are in a zero percent optimal scenuation, so urgitude is necessary. She pointed down the hallway. I'd invite anyone who's up for it to join me in the assembly area, so we have 37.8 percent more breathing room.
Magearna turned and exited the infirmary. Shane, Tessa, and Silvally were the first ones to leave the room, with Tessa turning to wave at her brother. Teams Go-Getters and Poképals followed behind them. Then, Latias hesitantly floated out. Finally, Milotic slithered off her bed and down the hall, staying silent.
Espy made to follow her, when her ears twitched. The curtain to her right opened up. Raichu scampered out, stopping and spreading her arms out. "W-Wait, Haxy. Don't you think you should hold up and see if there's anything else Comfey and Steenee can try to get your tusks back?" she asked, a worried look on her face.
"It's pointless. They're not Axew tusks. I have no idea if they're gonna grow back," Haxorus growled. She lifted her hands up. "I've still got my claws. That's good enough." She pushed Raichu aside. "I'm not gonna sit on my ass and let Zero get away with—"
Haxorus froze beside Espy. She pivoted to her left. Espy's tail wrapped around her right hind leg. "H-Haxorus. Raichu. It's, uh, been a while, huh?" she whispered. Espy braced herself for a venomous response, but Haxorus said nothing. She turned away from Espy while Raichu stood behind her, poking her paws together nervously.
"So, this is where you scurried off to." Haxorus crossed her arms. "I'm surprised. You're lucid. You don't reek of pheromones, stardust, or hard berry juice."
Espy shrank back, lowering her head. "I… I'm sorry about what happened to Paradise."
"Me too," Haxorus growled. Her right eye twitched. "But then… I saw what those monsters did with my own eyes, while you've been holed up here for gods only know how long."
"Y-You're right. But you have to understand, I—"
"I don't want to hear it. I said I wasn't going to listen to your half-baked excuses anymore… and I meant it," Haxorus said, her tail lashing in Espy's direction as a warning to back off.
"C-Come on, Haxy." Raichu inserted herself between Haxorus and Espy. "No need to back Espeon into a proverbial corner. We're all on the same side. This is a stressful situation for everyone, so we've got to put aside our differences for the time being." She gave her mate a shaky smile.
Haxorus stepped back. "Where's Umbreon?"
Espy's ears drooped. "Gone. Necrozma got him. I'm only alive right now because of him."
"I see." Haxorus lowered her head briefly, only to straighten up and walk past Raichu and Espy. "A pity it wasn't the other way around."
Raichu stepped in Haxorus' path. "Haxy! What did I just say?"
"Don't act like you're not thinking it, too, Rai," Haxorus said as she continued walking toward the hallway.
Espy squeezed her eyes shut. Bile rose up in her throat. Her stomach gurgled.
"You're not giving Espy enough credit. She's changed a lot."
Espy's eyes snapped open. Silvally stood in front of Haxorus, his fairy memories giving him a salmon-colored glow.
"She and Umbreon were captured by Zero, too. They did a lot of awful things under her control. Even after we freed them, I could see how self-destructive Espy was," Silvally said. "But she's been trying hard to leave that stuff behind. She wants to make amends with you guys." Silvally narrowed his eyes at Haxorus. "But you're not even willing to give her that chance, are you?"
Haxorus clenched her fists. "She doesn't deserve it."
"Well, how about we focus on trying to stop Zero, first. Then, if you still want to give Espy the cold shoulder, be my guest, because she'll always be welcome in Team Radiance." Silvally glanced at Espy and nodded reassuringly. Espy brushed her face against her shoulder before she could tear up too much.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Haxorus sidestepped Silvally and walked off down the hallway.
"S-Sorry about Haxy. I think losing her tusks really upset her," Raichu mumbled, before tailing off after Haxorus.
Sighing, Silvally walked up to Espy. "You going to be all right?"
"N-No." Espy blinked tears out of her eyes. "I totally froze-up. I couldn't get a word in edgewise to Haxorus It was like I was staring down every dumb decision I've made in the last decade." She hung her head.
Silvally nudged her shoulder with his beak. "Well, I think you deserve credit just for trying to talk with her."
"P-Please. She engaged me," Espy mumbled, looking away. "Besides, dwelling on this won't do us any good. It's like you said, we've got a much bigger problem that needs dealing with." She walked out of the infirmary. Silvally walked beside her. The two entered the assembly area and took their places next to Shane and Tessa.
So, did you guys get all of that? Magearna asked, her Gear-Com speakers sticking out of her stomach compartment. The speakers crackled. Shane's ears twitched and folded up against his head. He cursed his more-sensitive vulpine hearing.
"Yeah. Sorry for not responding. It's just a lot to process, that's all," Dedenne said.
I understand. Still, we are prestered for time in more ways than one. We need to come up with a concrete plan of attack, Magearna said.
"We totally get that, but losing the Time Gears isn't exactly doing wonders for anyone's confidence. And having all this extra bad news piled up on top of the planet's paralysis makes it even worse," Delphox said, sighing.
"Now, now, there's no need for despair. We haven't lost yet. Sure, our plan's hit a few unwanted snags, but I believe we can still pull through!" Ampharos declared. Silence permeated the room save for the hum of Magearna's speakers.
"Uh, chief? You know they can't see you making that pose, right? This is an audio call," Dedenne said.
"Y-Yes, of course. I was just, erm, stretching, that's all!" Ampharos said, laughing nervously. Team Radiance exchanged unconvinced looks, but stopped when they heard Ampharos clear his throat. "My point still stands, though. I believe our plan can still work. It'll just need a few workarounds, that's all."
"Excuse me? What plan?" Shane asked, stepping forward. Normally, he'd be amused by Ampharos' antics, but the day's stresses left him with little patience. "You've had a plan in place the whole time and didn't bother to tell us anything? Then what was the point of sending Latias over to us?" He looked at Latias, frowning. "Err, no offense intended or anything, it's just my teammate, Silvally, noted you came off as a bit bossy. And it didn't help that you wouldn't answer some of our questions."
"I, uh…" Latias tapped her claws together, a guilty look on her face.
"Was that your doing, Ampharos?" Silvally wondered, staring down Magearna's speaker like he was interrogating it.
"I'm afraid so. I didn't give Latias all the details of this plan," Ampharos replied.
"Okay. Well, what are the details? And what's being changed about it?" Silvally asked, stepping closer to Magearna. Like Shane, he had no desire for talking in riddles.
"Ah. I, uh, don't really know. I forgot the details, see," Ampharos said, laughing jovially.
Shane, Silvally, and Tessa all fell over in disbelief. "Wait, how could you forget the details of your own plan?!" Shane said, groaning as he stood back up.
"I can answer that one. It was by design," Mawile interjected. "The chief gave each Pokémon involved their individual instructions, but didn't tell them why. Then, he had his memories sealed to make sure the Prism Virus couldn't figure out the full plan."
Tessa facepalmed. "You cannot be serious."
"That actually does sound like something Ampharos would do," Shane muttered, drawing a skeptical look from Silvally. "Err, y'know, from what I read about Dark Matter's attack." He shrank back toward his teammates. The explanation didn't do anything for his impatience, though.
"Rest assured, friends. The details of the plan are somewhere secure," Ampharos declared. "I, uh, couldn't tell you where or how, but I have a strong feeling."
Magearna's mechanical eyes whirred, but she said nothing. Tessa raised her brow. She got the distinct impression Magearna knew more than the rest of the group, save for possibly Latias. Yet, she didn't want to derail the conversation by pressing Magearna for details.
"Wait. If you don't know the details of your own plan, then how can you be so sure there's still a way it can work? What makes you think we can still win?" Espy asked, fixing her uncertain look on a dusty floor tile.
"It all comes down to spirits," a soft, unfamiliar voice replied.
Latias' wings and ears stuck up. "N-Ninetales? You're there, too?"
"Wait, Ninetales?" Shane stiffened.
"Yeah, from Mt. Freeze." Blaziken scratched his chin. "This plan must be pretty serious if she's getting involved."
Shane opened his mouth, then shut it. The mere thought of being able to talk with another Ninetales made his earlier annoyances fade away. There were questions he felt a compulsive urge to ask. He figured it was instinctual. But he knew they were all irrelevant to the matter at hand. He bit his lower lip, trying to will himself not to say anything.
"Uh, who was the one acting surprised about me? Is there a problem?" Ninetales asked.
"No, not at all. See, one of the Horizon Guild's members is an ice Ninetales," Blaziken said.
"Wait, but I thought Totem Ninetales—"
"It's a different ice Ninetales," Blaziken interjected.
"Yeah. And it turns out, he used to be a human! Pretty ironic, huh?" Swampert chuckled.
Team Poképals and Team Paradise turned their attentions on Shane. He shuffled back. His tails twisted around each other. "H-Hey now. Come on, guys. What's with all the weird looks?" Shane slipped behind Tessa and Silvally, trying to avoid everyone's gazes. Unlike his first few weeks in Horizon, he didn't want people peppering him with questions about being human. He knew it was because he didn't want to think about the ominous visions.
"Interesting. I suppose we'll have to chat… once this crisis is settled, of course," Ninetales said, sighing.
Yes. As nice as it would be to exchange pleasantaries, we must focus on the matter at hand, Magearna said. Ninetales, could you please explain what you meant when you brought up spirits?
"Certainly. I'll try to keep it brief. Essentially, based on what Latias told me, I don't think the Prism Virus' victims are truly dead," Ninetales explained.
Shane blinked, no longer able to hold back the urge to make a snide remark. "So, what? They're only mostly dead?" He shook his head. "Good grief, where's Billy Crystal when you need him?" Shane flinched at the sight of a dozen skeptical looks. "E-Err, n-never mind. Forget I said anything."
"That was the human who spoke, right?" Ninetales asked. She sighed. "Forgive me. I suppose if you weren't born a Vulpix, you wouldn't understand how spirits work around here. See, when a Pokémon dies, its body fades away, leaving its spirit to drift about aimlessly. Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygarde are responsible for safely escorting souls to the spirit realm inside the branches of the Tree of Life. Given our species has spiritual powers, I try to help them when I can, as does Totem Ninetales."
"Oh." Shane had an entirely new set of questions to ask, now, but still held his tongue.
"After sifting through memories Latias had gathered, it seems that what the Prism Virus does is analogous to Dark Matter turning Pokémon to stone. Only instead of forcing the victims' spirits down into the Voidlands, Necrozma and Zero simply took their victims' spirits for themselves," Ninetales continued.
The mention of Dark Matter sent a chill down Latias' spine. Her feathers bristled. She wasn't the only one, either. Espy arced her back and her fur stood on end.
"Are you all right?" Silvally asked, his psychic memories shifting on. Espy silently shuffled closer to him.
"Wait a second." Blaziken tapped a foot on the ground. "Zero told us that she had taken out Necrozma. If that's true… what happened to the spirits he had captured?"
"That's what Ampharos was getting at. If Zero was telling the truth, then she either took all of Necrozma's spirits for herself… or they were freed from his control," Ninetales replied. "Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to sense any wandering spirits. Still, it's possible that Zero taking out Necrozma might turn out to be a blessing in disguise."
"And that's exactly why we can't give up hope. If the spirits are free, we can save them!" Ampharos proclaimed.
Raichu looked at Haxorus, eyes sparkling. "Does that mean… our friends can be saved?"
"I can get Umbry back?" Espy whispered.
Tessa put a paw on her chest. "I could save Sylveon and Eevee?"
Latias looked at Blaziken and Swampert. "So, I haven't lost Latios for good, then?"
"Hold on a second." Haxorus' tail thumped against the ground. "I may not be all up to date on this spirit mumbo jumbo, but Hydreigon made it pretty clear to me that, unless your body was preserved somehow, when you turn into a spirit… that's it. The best you can get is Ho-Oh or Ninetales reviving you as a ghost-type with no memories of your past life."
"That's true. But, from what I understand, anyone hit by the Prism Virus ended up either crystallized or a lifeless husk," Ninetales said.
"And Necrozma smashed those he crystallized to pieces!" Haxorus said, stomping her right foot. "There's no bouncing back from like that like people did with Dark Matter."
Do not raise your worry levels over this matter. We're looking into it, Magearna said, while Latias floated toward the stairs, looking around uneasily. For now, we have to focus on putting a stop to Zero before she irrepversably damages the fabric of time.
Shane couldn't keep his thoughts to himself any longer. "How exactly are we going to do that? We haven't the slightest idea where she could be!" He looked down guiltily. "And we lost the Dawn Hourglass. How can we stand up to Zero without it? She took out Necrozma! What chance do we have?"
"We've got numbers, Mega Evolution, and Z-Power," Silvally replied. He nudged his teammate. "I know it's not the Dawn Hourglass, but it's a start, right? Besides, if we don't challenge Zero, then we stand no chance of surviving. I'll take a slight chance over no chance. Wouldn't you?"
"Y-Yeah. Of course," Shane whispered. He wished he could share Silvally's optimism, but there was a sinking feeling in his gut. "That still doesn't answer where we find her, though."
"Have no fear, Jirachi's brilliance is here!"
"Again, what's with the posing? They can't see you!" Dedenne groaned.
"That's okay. My brilliance doesn't need to be seen to be believed." Jirachi cleared his throat. "I was monitoring the ocean currents and noticed some bizarre activity between the coast of Lively Town and the Sea of Wonders. Archeops and I went to investigate and — hoo boy, you guys aren't going to believe this — the Hidden Land fell into the ocean!"
"Wait… what?!" Infernape shouted. His fiery hair flared up. "Why? How?! That doesn't even make any sense!" He glanced at Feraligatr. "I get Temporal Tower was damaged, but how can it fall out of a dimensional pocket?!"
"What are you looking at me for? I know as much about the Hidden Land as you do," Feraligatr said, sweat drops trickling down his face.
Shane looked at his teammates in disbelief. They all stared back at him blankly. Nobody wanted to think about what sort of power it would've taken to drag the entire Hidden Land down into the ocean.
"Did Necrozma do that… or Zero?" Espy wondered, forked tail crinkling.
"You can choose not to believe me if you want, but it's true. The landscape has totally twisted. This corrosive goop ate away at some of the ocean and everything. I, uh, didn't want to get too close, but it seemed pretty lethal," Jirachi explained. "If I had to give you my best guess, that's probably where your big bad boss lady is hiding out. Especially if she's planning some sort of time manipulation gambit."
The whole room fell silent. Nobody could figure out a good response to Jirachi's claims. Shane's tails curled up. The idea of traversing the Hidden Land excited him, but the circumstances behind it drowned out that enthusiasm. He shuddered to think of what the Prism Virus had done to morph the terrain beyond the poisonous sludge Jirachi described.
"Okay. We need to go to the Hidden Land, then," Tessa said, to her teammates' surprise. Silvally nodded his agreement.
"There's a problem with that, though. If the Hidden Land fell near the Sea of Wonders, then it's all the way on the other side of the world. How the heck are we supposed to get there?" Infernape wondered. "I don't think Latias can get us all across in a timely manner."
"Y-Yeah. Let's not go there," Latias whispered, floating close to Team Go-Getters.
"I could try running across the ocean with as many of you as I can carry!" Silvally said, cheek-bolts whirring.
Tessa's aura feelers shot up at the suggestion. "Are you nuts? That would be exhausting. And we need you at your fighting best for this."
"Fear not, my friends. We've already worked that out," Ampharos declared.
Shane leaned over and whispered to Espy, "Do you think he's posing again?"
"Probably," Espy deadpanned. "What exactly is this idea of yours, chief?"
"We're on our way over, actually. We've been teleport-hopping to small islands, but we took a short break to let our teleporter rest," Mawile explained.
"Seriously? How does that even work?" Shane asked. His brow furrowed. "And why are you guys all coming over here?"
That's my doing. I reached out to them as soon as we got back to Aeon Port. They've been island-hopping while you all have been recovering, Magearna replied.
"It's not all of us, either. Only Cresselia, Mawile, Ninetales, and the chief are coming to you guys. The rest of us are still in Lively Town," Delphox elaborated.
Once they're here, the teleporter will take you all as close as you can get to where the Hidden Land fell into the ocean. After that, you'll have to set off on foot, Magearna said. Meanwhile, I will escort Ampharos' party up to Solstice Summit to meet with Totem Ninetales.
"Wait, what? How long was that planned for? And why are you going there, anyway? We need all the help we can get if we're going to storm the Hidden Land," Shane huffed, tails twitching. His earlier annoyance with the mysterious plan had returned in full force.
I'm afraid I can't give you an explicit reasonating. Please accept an apology cycle. Magearna slowly bowed, though the Gear-Com made it awkward.
Scattered murmurs rose up through the room. Silvally turned to Shane. "My guess is that it has to do with Ampharos' crazy plan." He sighed. "Guess we have to accept it and hope things work out for the best."
Tessa nodded. Though she wanted to press for more details, she was willing to go along with Magearna if it meant getting back everyone they had lost.
"Actually, our teleporter's all rested up. We should be there in a few minutes, so you guys should get yourselves ready to leave," Cresselia announced. Then, before anyone could respond, the call abruptly cut off.
"We're leaving already?" Espy said, ears sticking up. She barely had time to process the thought of going to the Hidden Land.
It looks like it, Magearna said, her Gear-Com unit retracting back into her stomach. She hastily made her way into Metagross' office and reemerged with a large burlap sack. Magearna plopped it on the ground. I took the liberty of withdrawing everything our Guildmaster had stored at Dhelmise Depot. I suggest everyone take a look and gather up whatever supplies you think you'll need.
Magearna tipped the bag over. Its contents spilled out across the floor.
"Cripes! I've never seen so many elixirs and Reviver Seeds in one place," Swampert said, scooping up a handful of items and tossing them into his bag. "Your Guildmaster must've been one crazy-prepared guy to keep so many of these in once place.
"Or crazy paranoid," Espy muttered under her breath. She cleared her throat, then said, "Yeah. This stuff could actually make a serious difference… assuming Zero doesn't blast our item bags to smithereens like the Unown did." Espy cringed at the memory.
Tessa gulped. "My newer bag is supposed to resist certain moves. I really hope that's true." She finished putting a pawful of Reviver Seeds in her bag and shut it. "Okay. I don't think I can carry anything else. Let's hope this is enough."
With everyone stocked up for the journey, Magearna led them out of the Observatory. As she walked with her teammates, Tessa looked down at her feet.
"What's wrong?" Shane asked. "You nervous about all of this?" He glanced over his shoulder at the other teams. "I don't blame you. My stomach hasn't felt this knotted up before."
"Yeah. Well, that and I feel bad we have to leave Gallian and Zoroark behind like this." Tessa rubbed her eyes. "I didn't even have a chance to say a proper goodbye to them or anything. What if… what if things don't go well? I may never get to see them again!"
"Don't think like that," Silvally said, staring intensely at the barrier along the edge of Aeon Town. "Even if the odds aren't great, we can't give up hope. If you go into this thinking you're not going to see them again, then you're not going to be able to battle at your best." He glanced at Tessa. "And we need you at your best."
Tessa winced. "I— yeah, that makes sense." She rubbed her eyes again. "Sorry. I'm just… so tired. I feel like we should be going to sleep, but I don't even know if it's actually nighttime or daytime because of the whole paralyzed planet thing."
"I totally get it, Tessa. We have been up for a while," Espy acknowledged. "I'd kill for some shut-eye, but we don't have the luxury right now. We'll have to hope these elixirs can keep us going until we've dealt with Zero."
"Right." Tessa tightly clutched her satchel. She silently prayed the team would succeed. Any lingering thoughts of hoping she could get through to her mother were gone. Now, she wanted to stop Zero by any means necessary.
They reached Aeon Port. Small openings appeared in the barrier, allowing the group to pass through. Once on the other side, Shane looked around. "Hey. I thought they were supposed to be here already," he growled.
"We are here, silly!"
Shane turned to his right. Mew floated beside him. He waved enthusiastically at Shane. "Hiya, floofy-head!"
"Eyaah!"
Barking loudly, Shane jumped up. His fur frazzled as he landed in a heap next to Silvally. "W-What the heck? Mew? When did— how did— huh?"
"I'm the teleporter, dummy. Sheesh, I thought Darkrai was just being his usual grumpy-grump self when he called you a dense doofus," Mew said, sticking his tongue out.
Shane got back to his feet, groaning. "Why is a god gossiping about me when he's never even met me?"
"Because he's a grumpy-grump! Good grief, is all that floof blocking your hearing? Hoo boy, I've really got my work cut out here, don't I?" Mew shook his head.
"Now, Mew. I thought we agreed you'd be on your best behavior."
Mew turned around to face the approaching Ninetales. "I'm behaving! I'm behaving! Not my fault floofy-head over here is as jumpy as a Spoink brigade." Mew pointed accusingly at Shane.
Tessa turned to Espy, a look of disbelief on her face. "Um, you've worked with the Expedition Society, right?" she whispered. Espy nodded. "Have you ever met Mew? Is he usually like this?"
"I've been around him a couple of times. He's… quite restrained compared to his usual self," Espy said. "This must be serious. Normally he's bouncing off the walls so much you'd think he snorted a pile of sugar."
Tessa shuddered at the thought.
Shane, on the other hand, ignored Mew's jabs. His attention was solely fixed on Ninetales. Besides the differences in fur color and coat length, Ninetales was immaculately groomed where Shane was filthy and shaggy from his previous battles. Ninetales glanced at Shane, then cleared her throat. Shane abruptly stiffened and looked away.
"We should really get going," Blaziken said. He had a second bag slung over his shoulder. "I have all the elixirs Mew's using to restore his teleporting powers." He pulled a vial out and offered it to Mew.
Mew chugged the elixir and belched loudly. "Oh, baby, that's the stuff," he said, sighing in content as the empty container disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Alright. Everyone ready to set out?"
Tessa's aura feelers shot up. "Wait! Shouldn't we take a second to—"
"Kidding! That was a rhetorical question. We're leaving… now!"
Mew's eyes glowed bright blue. The guild teams disappeared in a blinding flash of light, leaving Magearna standing beside Ampharos' team.
Shall we set out for Solstice Summit, then? Magearna asked.
"Absolutely! I'll lead the way!" Ampharos declared. He started walking toward the docks, only for Mawile to cut him off.
"I believe it's best if Magearna escorts us, chief," she said.
"Of course, of course. My mistake," Ampharos chuckled. He turned and followed his colleagues off down the trail.
Ninetales walked up to Magearna, biting her lower lip. "Do you really think they'll be able to do it?"
I am unsure, but I am praying that they can, Magearna said, looking up at the sky. Whatever gods are left aren't stepping in, so it's all up to them. All we can do is keep working on our plan… and hope for the best.
Ninetales bowed her head. The group proceeded in silence.
End of Episode 14
I will need a couple of extra days to prepare the next update and the preview should tell you why. I appreciate the understanding.
SuperOmegaGuest: only Serperior's dead. The lovebirds survived!
Anonymous: I'm not sure what you're referencing with Nox — never seen what they're in — but the Infinite parallels were unintentional. Besides, he chose to take in the Phantom Ruby, Zero got it stuck in her skull by sheer coincidence.
Anon Omega: I can't sneak anything past you, can I?
Sebastian: What are you talking about? I publish this story right here! If you're talking about a book, the fic's way too long and I don't want Nintendo's copyright ninjas coming for me.
Another guest: you're right. It was my intent to show that Team Go-Getters was, despite their age, the strongest and most experienced of the bunch. I saw your message and I'll help you out when I'm feeling better. Right now, I need sleep. Badly.
Dovah Bear: err... congratulations? I will say the word counter FFN uses for this fic is very inaccurate because of stuff like this.
Next time: all good things... must come to end.