=Chapter 23, Writing to Arky=
(?'s PoV)
*Can't… hold on much longer… how long have we been flying… can barely breath properly now! Feels like it's been hours… been forever… was I a fool… was I too reckless this time… did I make a mistake? Have I taken on something… too strong for me?*
(I knew you couldn't last, a mere human, capturing me is one thing, but to tame and master not only me but my powers is beyond you!)
"I haven't lost yet, I'm still holding on and I won't let you go!"
(We'll see about that, up here your kind struggles to even breathe, you cannot endure forever!)
*He's right… how much longer… how much higher can I go… my body's going numb… I can't think… my head's getting foggy…*
Deciding that the best strategy to keep a hold on this mighty foe was to channel what little stamina was left into…
(You can't win this battle, try all you might but I will be victorious, and I WILL WIN!)
"You haven't won yet… I'm still strong… I can still hold… I can… I … can… I…"
*No more strength left, going too high… no more oxygen… how much longer can I hold… with one hand?*
*It's impossible… I can't… hold on… but I must… if I fall here… he'll get away… and I'll die… my team needs me… I can't… let him… win…*
As what little strength left was sapped due to lack of oxygen, the world steadily started turning darker and darker, until without any warning, all feeling of the rough skin that the hand was so desperately holding onto for its owner's dear life suddenly vanished.
(Jacob's PoV)
Jacob gasped as he sat up in his sleeping bag, awakening to the sound of silence and the wind where he and Karen had chosen to make camp on Route 112.
*Again, that nightmare again?* He thought as he checked to make sure he was indeed on solid ground.
After confirming he was on solid ground and not about to fall from a very high altitude, he checked his sleeping companions to make sure he hadn't accidentally woken them up as well. No, Sara and Karen were still both sound asleep. Karen was snoring loudly to keep the world away from her dreams in her sleeping bag while Sara was gently smiling in her sleep in his, both completely oblivious to the fact that he had woken up merely an hour after they had settled down for the night.
He guessed Sara had probably felt something was wrong with him because he watched as she shifted around ever so slightly, frowning as she did in her sleep.
Trying to keep her asleep he calmed his mind and tried thinking of gentler, calmer, more cheerful thoughts. Sure enough they worked, and Sara's frown vanished and she returned to her original sleeping position with a gentle smile again.
Smiling himself, he quietly stood up and walked back over to their small, smoldering campfire to reignite it and try to figure out what was wrong with his dreams again.
"This is the fourth time this week that same dream, nightmare or whatever it was hit me." He said to himself as the fire slowly came back to life. "It was happening last week as well; all week I was having this nightmare. Why, why does it keep happening?"
The dream had been the same every time he went to sleep nowadays, ever since he and Karen had left Mauville City for Lavaridge Town nearly two weeks ago. It always started the same, him gripping 'something' scaly and rough, like a Pokemon's Hide. He would have a two way communication with some powerful voice that was clearly superior to him, and think private thoughts that apparently weren't private because that voice could read them. After a while he would feel strength leave his arms as he desperately clung onto the Pokemon for dear life, before what strength he had left was lost, and inevitably let go out of sheer exhaustion.
Then he would wake up, without fail each time he had the nightmare.
"What does it mean?" Jacob said to himself. "Last time this happened, it was because the Key Stone trying to reconnect to me because of my DNA, now I'm having these nightmares. Could they be linked somehow?"
He didn't know the answer to that question, and while he wanted to ask Sara for help, she wasn't as experienced in understanding dreams as anyone he knew.
At least, when compared to the only other Psychic type he did know on a personal level.
Knowing that it was really late to talk to his teacher, but also knowing that his teacher rarely, if ever, slept, at least from what he could tell Arky almost never slept. He also told him that no matter what time of day it was, he would be listening to whatever he had to say or wanted to say. He also knew that Arky would help him if he really needed the help, just like the last time he talked to his teacher and told him about his weird dreams.
"It can't hurt to tell him and ask for help." He said to himself as he got up and walked over to he and Karen had placed their backpacks for the night.
He opened his bag up and rummaged through it for a brief moment before pulling out the book that he always kept hidden from Sara, Karen, the rest of his team, and pretty much everyone else but himself. It seemed wrong to him to keep something like this a secret from even his closest friends and traveling companions, but he promised Arky that he would never let anyone write in it, or even see it.
He returned to his sitting position next to the small campfire, opened the book and pulled out the glowing pen that he used to write in the book from its resting place. Then he turned to the only blank piece of paper and thought carefully about how to get about writing to Arky for help.
Deciding that he might as well tell him of his travels and adventures, since it was a while since the last time he wrote to Arky, he decided to start from where he had earned his badge.
*Jacob to Arky*
*Hi Arky, it's been a while since I last wrote to you, I'm sorry I'm not writing as much as I used to before, but things have been hectic since the last time we spoke to each other, literally.*
*After you and I last spoke I went searching for the Key Stone like you asked me to do. Well I found it, it was indeed a Key Stone that probably belonged to someone in my family, at least going off of what I've learned about them from both you and Electra. This thing is beautiful Arky, absolutely beautiful to look at. Even at night with little light to shine on it, it gleams beautifully all the different possible colors that ever could exist, all by me simply holding it close to myself, not even wearing it.*
*My team was very enamored by its beauty, and Harold was speechless when he saw it with me. I think something about it touched him deeply, much more than he's willing to let on about with me or the rest of my team I think. Perhaps there's something about it and him that touched him, or maybe it's just me? Sara was of a similar position as Harold was, but not nearly as speechless as him. Coral and Ivan really liked it as well, with Coral admiring it for beauty's sake while Ivan barked about how it would make me a stronger 'Alpha'.*
*Karen tried to wear the Key Stone, but it clearly doesn't like her at all, as evidenced by the fact that the moment she put it on in a rush to see how it looked on her, the Key Stone stopped glowing as brilliantly as it was when I was merely holding it. She got really bummed out about it, and swore that she would find her own Key Stone some day and catch up to me. Why does she have to see this as a competition I do not know, because she really seems to hate losing to me, which is weird because no matter how many battles we have, she always seems to enjoy them whether she wins or loses? Her losses against me are currently at the total of five to two wins, and this just seems to encourage her to try even harder to win the next time. I guess everyone has their own way of viewing their records for winning compared to losing.*
*Now speaking about winning, I won my third badge back in Mauville, it was hard fought and even a harder won battle, but I and my team eventually won against Electra and Volt in his Mega Evolved form. But she told me how what I'm doing, at least in terms of training my team, is both okay but not as strong as it could be. And from what I could see of her Volt, she has a point; it knew Ice Fang, Overheat, Protect, as well as Wild Charge. That diversity in one Pokemon shadows my entire team combined. You told me about how Pokemon that form bonds with their trainers will be able to learn moves that it normally couldn't learn on its own, but I still have no clue about how that happens or what I can do to make it happen. I guess the only way is to keep trying until I figure something out, or it happens by accident.*
*Seriously, Ivan learned how to do Thunder Fang by biting Volt's electrically charged mane while he was Mega Evolved, and now after almost two weeks, we've managed to help him control his electrically charged mouth to the point where he doesn't zap me when he licks me, or singes his food when he tries to eat.*
Jacob watched as he finished filling the page to let all he had written slowly vanish, somehow entering the mind of his, hopefully still awake teacher. It took nearly a minute for everything to vanish and leave the page as clean as before, before he could start fresh again.
*After that we began making our way to Lavaridge Town by first passing through Route 111, the same route that we beat Snagem again on to rescue that Key Stone. Snagem had stolen it, literally right in front of us! They would have gotten away if Karen and I hadn't gone after them with Electra, surprising that she was willing to go after them. In fact I had an idea that she might have gone with or without us, she has a thing for Key Stones.*
*Anyway, after we left Mauville, we started heading north along Route 111. I wanted to try and visit Fallarbor Town, but Karen was adamant about not going through the section of Route 111 that was a constant sandstorm. Something we both agreed on, though I was disappointed because it was a shortcut to the town. Instead we decided to head straight to the next town that Karen said had a Gym Badge we could qualify for, Lavaridge Town.*
*On the way there we encountered a pair of News Reporters called Abby and YW, and get this, they were 'interviewing' trainers for their daily broadcasts. Of course their method of 'interviewing' involved a Pokemon battle. Abby, who worked part time as a Weather Man for HNN, and YW, his faithful Camera Woman, were conducting these 'interviews' to spice up their network's ratings and give their audience something fresh to watch each day.*
*I have to admit, it was rather awkward fighting a battle knowing it was being aired live on television. Karen enjoyed it quite a bit; she actually is considering becoming a Coordinator so she can get viewed on television more often now. Though she swore that before that ever happened, she would become the next Hoenn Champion. I can still remember her crazy, short and sweet, quote she offered those watching. I think it went along the lines of 'Awesomely Rad Battle!' or something like that, she is one weird trainer to be traveling with.*
*Fun, but weird.*
*Speaking of weird, is it me, or has it suddenly gotten colder over the last few days? I remember never once feeling so cold at night or even during the days in all the time I was in Littleroot, but even here with Mt. Chimney in sight, I feel a slight chill in the air. Perhaps it just me, after all seeing that mountain, especially from where we are right now along Route 112 is super menacing, just imagining how high it is gives me chills. But in order to reach Lavaridge Town we need to take the Cable Car that runs from the base of Mt. Chimney at the base where we're heading, to the top near the Volcano's opening. I can already tell it will remove all the chilling feeling I'm getting thinking that it's cold out here.*
As he finished writing the whole page he once again watched as his words, ever so subtly vanish from the page and off to the mind of Arky. Though how his teacher managed to make it possible for his words to reach his mind no matter the distance, as well as his feelings as he wrote, he still didn't know, it was one of many questions that he never could answer about his Pokemon Teacher.
*Along the way we received word from the PNN, and the HNN while we rested at a rest stop along Route 111, about where Snagem had been holed up in Mauville. The Game Corner's basement, of all places! And that place had just recently re-opened from what I've heard, I doubt Mauville will let them stay open again after everything that's happened. Apparently the owner had no clue about them being down there, he told the police that all he knew was that some of his workers stayed in the basement because they couldn't afford rent in the apartment complexes and he was more than willing to let them and a few friends stay down there, provided they kept any noise to a minimum at night. Poor guy, I feel sorry for him if that's the truth.*
*Anyway Arky, forgive me for rambling but I really wanted to ask you for your help or advice yet again.*
He stopped writing to allow the message to reach his teacher before resuming writing what he really wanted to ask his teacher about.
*Over the last few days, in fact since we left Mauville, I've been having yet more strange dreams like before, only this time they are much more clear and vivid. It's as though I'm holding onto a powerful Pokemon, and it knows its power is really high compared to me (at least in the dream), and it is willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of me.*
*I'm holding onto this Pokemon for dear life, because we're soaring really high, much higher than I think any normal human could live because I can barely breathe properly. I'm holding on with all of my strength, and this Pokemon's thoughts are just taunting me throughout the dream, calling me weak and how I can't hope to tame and master him, let alone his powers. And while it sounds male to me I still haven't a clue as to what the Pokemon is called, for all I know it could be genderless, similar to Magnemites and Magnetons and other species of Pokemon.*
*After a while, I begin to lose my strength and what little I do have is devoted to holding onto this Pokemon with one hand. The Pokemon taunts me again, sensing my weakness, and all I do is reply with a stubborn phrase, sounding like I'm winning when clearly I'm losing! Moments later I lose all strength, and let go and begin to fall from this absurd height, because again we are soaring way high. Then I black out, and wake up gasping in fear.*
*I think we should add a fear of heights alongside my fear of thunderstorms Arky, because I really, really, really do not want to go falling from that height all of a sudden.*
*I know it's late and I really should be going to bed soon, but could you perhaps… help me again, like you did before? I have no idea what's going on with these dreams and I've only ever started having them since I got this Key Stone, which is currently in my bag mind you. I would ask Sara for help but she has no clue about persistent dreams, and she's still not as powerful a psychic type as you are. If you could help me, I would really appreciate it, and even if you can't, I'd still like to talk to you again, if for no other reason than because I miss you.*
*Sincerely, Jacob.*
Jacob watched the words in the book he finished writing vanish ever slowly from the page, and once more into the mind of his teacher. Once that was done he put the book back into his bag and, not feeling tired after the nightmare, returned to preparing the fire and keeping it lit for as long as he remained awake.
*Why, why do I have to have these nightmares?* He asked himself yet again as he reached into his bag and pulled out the small box containing his new Key Stone.
He opened the box and looked at the beautiful stone in his hand, admiring how no matter how many times it responded to his call; it showed its beautiful colors to him each and every time. Yet all he could do was think that he was better off when the darn thing was in the hands of that scam artist salesman, or heck at this rate even Snagem. For all the amazing stories he's been told of it, the power that the stone provided its wielder and the Pokemon he bonds with, and the lengths any trainer would go to have their own Key Stone, this thing had so far given him nothing but repetitive and sleepy nights.
"Why did Arky ask me to find you and keep you for myself?" He asked the stone, noticing it glinting just a shade more brightly as though it responded to him talking.
He sighed and closed the box up and placed it back into the bag, unwilling to get rid of it because of all it stood for, but also unwilling to wear it because of what it was causing him.
That and he still didn't have any way to actually use it.
A week after he had received the Key Stone he did some research into the other element he needed for him and his Pokemon to achieve Mega Evolution, the Mega Stones. So far he learned that despite the number of Pokemon species there were, only a small portion of them could actual Mega Evolve, and among them over half were those that had to be in their fully evolved state to achieve it. Those that were known were listed, and there was even an ad near a rest area that allowed trainers to order them and have them delivered to any Pokemon Center for pickup. He also learned that there were many species of Pokemon that scientists theorize might be capable of Mega Evolution but their respective Mega Stones have yet to be identified, and others state that there are new 'species' of Mega Stones discovered, but none know which Pokemon they might respond to.
He sighed again and put more wood into the fire.
"It could be worse I guess, at least the Key Stone isn't in Snagem's hands and the only one getting these nightmares is me." He said to himself after a while of watching the flames flicker in the night.
For nearly ten or twenty minutes he just stared at the flames, trying to understand the mystery of the Key Stone and why he was told to get it and keep it, as well as why he was suffering these nightmares ever since obtaining it. Then with a small flash of light and the usual sound that occurs when a Pokemon was released from its Pokeball, Harold appeared with a wide yawn.
"Grovyyyyyyle!" He yawned quietly as he stretched his leafy arms and clawed hands and feet in the quiet night, slightly shivering as he walked on all fours over to Jacob and the fire. "Vyle?"
"Hi Harold, yea I'm up still." Jacob replied with a small smile, hoping he was right about what Harold was asking about. "I couldn't sleep again tonight, so I'm waiting till I'm tired again before going back to sleep."
"Vyle vyle Gro?" Harold asked as he lied down on his stomach and looking up at Jacob with a questioning look.
"It's just a nightmare, that's all, nothing serous buddy." He said, giving Harold a scratch behind the enormous leaf on his head and causing him to close his eyes in comfort. "So, Mega Evolution, do you think we might achieve it someday?"
"Grovyle!" Harold replied with his trade mark thumbs up.
"I hope so, but those Mega Stones are expensive, how am I going to ever afford one?" He asked as he continued to scratch Harold's favorite spot where he liked to be scratched. "Sure I could save up for one, but we'd have to win so many tournament matches just to afford it, that's not even taking into account all the other things we need to buy. Like food, medicine, clothes, traveling equipment, and lots of other things!"
"Groooooo…" Harold said with a sad sigh as well.
"Yea I know buddy, this wasn't what I was expecting either when I started out as a trainer." He replied. "I don't mind though if we never Mega Evolve though, after all we make a great team without it. Heck, when I became a trainer, becoming a region champion wasn't even one of my goals!"
"Grovyle?" Harold asked as he looked at Jacob in surprise.
"Yea, when I originally wanted to become a trainer, all I wanted to do was learn more about Pokemon of the world and how to take care of them." He said with a small laugh. "Makes me wonder why I didn't just become a Breeder or Caretaker, or heck even a Pokemon Professor."
Harold gave a small chuckle as he apparently imagined him wearing a lab coat and glasses and finding the image amusing.
Jacob and Harold continued to sit by the fire, enjoying the warmth in the night before Jacob finally felt his eyelids demand he return to his sleeping bag. Harold was of the same opinion as he returned to his ball with another yawn.
Jacob climbed back into his sleeping bag after making sure the rest of his team's balls were safe and secured. He zipped up the bag and, after a few seconds, felt Sara curl up into his arms with a small smile.
*I don't care about those nightmares, at least as long as I have friends like this to spend my night's with.* Jacob thought as he gently brushed Sara's head to keep from waking her.
As if in response to that thought, Sara's smile widened as her grip on his arm tightened ever so slightly.
=Meanwhile, High above Mt. Chimney=
(?'s PoV)
"AROOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
He watched the large ice blue figure flying below him, fighting desperately for the freedom of the sky against the small swarm of Tailow and Swellow that were constantly pecking away at it with a combination of Wing Attack and Quick Attacks. As he felt the wind current at his level shift ever so subtly he repositioned himself and adjusted his grip on the Fearow that he was using to observe the battle below him.
*This is such a bother, couldn't that idiot have found me a Master Ball to use instead of these bothersome Ultra Balls?* He asked himself as an Ice Beam flashed below him, missing him and his steed as it tried to hit the swarm of birds around it. *Really now, this could have gone so much faster with one of those, now I have to use these pathetic weaklings to bring this bird to heel.*
*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING*
"Speaking of Giratina itself." He said out loud as he pulled out his PokeNav and turned it on. "What is it; I'm a little busy here?"
(Really now, and after all the trouble I went through to track that bird down and arrange this team as well as equip them for the task at hand?) The snide voice of Masquerade replied. (Well if that's how it's going to be I might as well make this quick. The boss wants to know how long it is going to take; we are already late in regards to that stage of the project.)
"Tell you what, how about I drop this PokeNav into the fight and let you hear how it's going for yourself?" He replied coolly. "Inform the boss that if he wants his precious bird so badly, provide me a Pokeball that captures this thing faster and without fail over the fifty Ultra Balls I've spent trying to capture it over the past eleven day."
(Temper temper, you know I mean this with all seriousness.) He replied with a hardy chuckle. (In any case I suggest you pick up the pace, I know you don't notice from your high and mighty position up there, but down here us mere mortals have begun to notice your little battle having an effect on the weather as well as temperature here. The temperature has dropped over twenty degrees below the normal for Hoenn, especially considering the routes nearest the volcano that once became active years ago! I don't need to remind you that our job is to be as discreet as possible obtaining these Pokemon, especially the legendary ones! The boss won't like it if this hits the media and our plan is discovered!)
"Tell that to those pathetic miscreants you call Team Snagem, I've heard about them on the news at least five times a week. If you want to talk to me about being discreet then talk to them about it first."
(Why do you think I did that, perhaps because they are a well-known organization for steeling Pokemon from their trainers? At least when I decide to put on a show I make sure that it's not my face that gets seen.)
"Yes, I can tell." He said with a bored tone as he watched the ice bird once more retreat toward the mountain and its hiding spot for the night. "I'll call you tomorrow with an update on the situation."
He turned it off and did some minor calculations in his head about the battle he had observed for the last hour. "At this rate the injuries it's sustained will have wounded it enough for a direct confrontation on land. Best not approach it now while it's on edge."
He turned on the PokeNav and dialed up one of the agents he had working under him. "Have the trackers start sniffing out the bird's hiding spot, I want to find it in the morning, in the meantime recall your birds before they get overzealous in the hunt."
(Yes sir Viridian!)
"Take me down." He said as he turned off the PokeNav and saw the Fearow turn its head to glare at him with one fierce eye. He noted the small purple gleam in its eye as it stared at him, not hesitating to show its suppressed hatred for him.
"What are you looking at?" He said coolly to the bird as it flapped toward the ground.
"Fearoow…" It whispered threateningly.
"So what if you want to tear me apart." He said calmly. "Go ahead and try, the other five would just love to tear you apart as well as me, but before they tear me apart they'll have to tear you apart. After all I know they want to have the pleasure for themselves."
The Fearow merely sneered at him, and he could tell it was sorely tempted to turn over and toss him off.
"Remember who it was that made you powerful. You are weak and pathetic without me, as I've proved to you time and time again. I'm the master and you're the slave, I'm the hand and you're the tool, remember your place."
"Fearoooooow!" It growled at him as it flew toward the ground at a slightly faster rate.
He smirked at the meaning behind its threat; he could even guess what it was saying to itself. "I obey only because you make me strong, when I am stronger than you, you will be mine!"
"Yes well, that time hasn't come yet, so like the good tool you are, obey the hand that controls you." He said more to himself than to the bird he rode.