=Chapter 32, Lost Innocence =
(Viridian's PoV)
"We're fifteen minutes from the coordinates, begin our descent." He declared from the copilot's seat as he double checked their location on the plane's GPS.
"I do hope we find something more than open water!" Masquerade said over the com, for probably the fifth time since they left this morning.
"Remind me again why you had to join me on this flight?" He asked, thoroughly annoyed at Masquerade doubting the accuracy of these coordinates.
"I just don't like having to chase phantoms when we should be going after legendaries we can track." He responded. "If we go there and find nothing but water, what will have been the point of building this plane? A waste of money, that's what. I have had much better success tracking other legendaries than I have chasing Southern Island's location!"
"Wasn't it you who said we can't be picky at this point?" Viridian said as they started to tip below the clouds, now a mere ten minutes away. "Also it's as our boss said, he's the one signing the paycheck. So does it matter if we go there and find nothing?"
Viridian didn't like Masquerade one bit, and this trip wasn't aiding in changing that opinion at all. Still he had his uses, he did indeed track down that Suicune in Johto, even 'if' it escaped. Not to mention that he also did track down the Articuno down as well, even though it too escaped their grasp. Masquerade got the job done, and did the job well, as long as he continued to do that, he would tolerate him for however long he had to.
"I suppose I did say something along those…" Masquerade said before the clouds broke and they saw an island in the distance, far below them. "Well… I'll be an Infernape's uncle… the boss was right."
"You sound disappointed." Viridian said with a smile. "Begin landing procedures."
"I'm taking us down to a small clearing at the southern edge of Southern Island." Masquerade replied as the plane dipped down and began circling around towards a small section of the island.
Seven minutes later the plan landed on the island, and for the first time Viridian stepped foot onto the island that has been famed for being protected by a mysterious veil, preventing mere humans from approaching it. "Incredible, look at this place." Viridian whispered as Masquerade began exiting the plane as well, carrying optical devices as well as two Pokeballs. "It's absolutely magnificent, I feel as if a great presence is watching me even as I just stand here on this small insignificant corner of this island. I have a strange sensation as though this place should not exist and yet my eyes do not deceive me of its existence."
"Southern Island is the home of Eon Pokemon, the Latios and Latias herd that lives here in this remote location are almost never disturbed by any other Pokemon or Humans." Masquerade said as he stepped in front, admiring the scenery around them. "We're probably the first humans to arrive here for many a year, though I highly doubt the locals will welcome us. They are very picky about who they let onto this sanctuary. The mere fact we probably cheated our way through the veil that protects this beautiful sanctuary will no doubt result in them not exactly favoring us."
"It doesn't matter, we only need one of them for our goal, so where do we begin looking for them." Viridian asked.
"Well one would think, if we were to find any of them, they'd be further in!" Masquerade said. "I suggest I take the lead, and here."
Masquerade handed him one of the optical devices. "What is it, out of curiosity?"
"These are the latest Devon Scopes designed to see invisible Pokemon." Masquerade said as he placed his just over his eyes so he could position it properly if needed. "The Eon Pokemon are capable of concealing themselves from enemies if they want to, so naturally we'd need these devices to see them."
Viridian nodded as he put the device on his head, just above his eyes. Masquerade was indeed a piece of work, he had his uses, and he definitely did his research this time as well. They walked away from their plane and further into the forest of Southern Island.
If Viridian had been here as a tourist, or even a guest, he'd have to say the place was beautiful and calming. However he was not here as a guest or a tourist, and as such he didn't feel welcomed. Still that wasn't going to stop him from finding the legendary Eon Pokemon.
(Latias' PoV)
*Ah… another wonderful day… quiet but wonderful.*Latias whispered to herself as she enjoyed the cool water around her.
Latias swam around the clear cool pool of their home for several minutes before she decided to burst out of the water and into the air, trailing a cascade of sparkling water behind her as she levitated over toward her twin brother Latios and father Latios. The two of them were identical with blue and white bodies, but obviously she could instantly tell the two apart, firstly because her father's blue feathers were starting to turn a lighter shade with age, as well as the white portions of his body turning gray. Not to mention he was much bigger than she and her brother were.
"Try to be more careful dear, I'm trying to nap over here." He told her warmly, only opening one eye for a brief moment to look at her.
"Sorry dad!" She said with a laugh, floating over to them to lay down with them in the sunlight and cool grass.
She loved her home, Southern Island was beautiful and secluded, just the way her species liked it. Ever since she hatched from the egg her home had been like this, peaceful and calm. However there were times when she wanted to see others, besides her own kind. Thinking of this reminded her of something.
"Hey father, when will mother be back with the others?" Latias asked as she drifted over to him. "She promised to take me and brother out beyond the veil!"
"She promised to take you beyond the veil sister, I'm going because I'm being forced to!" Her brother replied.
"She and the others will return soon, it's been only a few days since they left after all you two." He said quietly, again opening his eye to look at them with a gentle smile. "Are you two going to let me nap or what?"
Latias giggled again before she decided to keep pestering him with questions. "You nap all day you big Slaking!" She said. "Tell us dad, what's the outside world like?"
"Sister, leave dad alone, he wants to sleep so let him sleep!" Her brother Latios said quietly.
"Alright, alright I'll tell you." Their dad said with a chuckle before lifting his head to look at them both. "So you want to know what the world beyond Southern Island is like, do you?"
"Yea, I've never been beyond the veil, you and mother won't let us leave with the others yet!"
"We're not old enough yet sis, that's what mother keeps saying!" Latios said with a groan of annoyance. "Isn't that right dad, we're not old enough and therefore not strong enough."
Their father chuckled again at that statement. "Yes indeed, but you know there's more to strength than just being old enough though." He said with a glimmer in his eyes. "I'll let you in on a little secret, which of course your mother knows. I left Southern Island myself when I was younger than you two are now!"
"Wait you did?" Latios said in amazement. "But you always tell us to stay here because it's dangerous out there!"
"True, true, it is a dangerous world out there, especially for a young Latios like me when I left. But I was hotheaded, and determined, a dangerous combination for any Pokemon. So one night when my parents were asleep with the rest of the herd, I left the island to see what was out there in the world. I'll tell you, it was amazing, after I got over the first hurdle of my life beyond Southern Island."
"What was it?" Latias asked eagerly.
"I had to find out where I was." He said with a hearty laugh. "The first thing that happened to me, after I left beyond the veil that protects Southern Island, was I ran into a thunderstorm cloud. I got electrocuted and paralyzed temporarily, forcing me to crash to the ground in a very swampy area of a region north of here called Hoenn. I believe the location was referred to as Route 119 by the humans and domesticated Pokemon of the region."
"Wait humans?" Latios asked suddenly.
"Yes Humans, you know the dominant species of each region?"
"You mean those barbarians that like to force Pokemon to hurt each other!" Latios said viciously.
"Brother, now don't be mean, you've never even met a human!" Latias said, shocked that her brother would say such things.
"I don't need to, mother told us about how humans use Pokemon to battle other Pokemon! That's just cruel and mean how they force them to do that!"
Their father chuckled as Latios finished describing humans, causing them both to look at him in confusion. "That's right, it does seem rather cruel to you, having never seen a Pokemon Battle before." He said with a twinkle in his eye. "But despite what your mother says, that's not true about humans being cruel and mean. In fact when I crashed on Route 119, I almost died because I crashed into a Linoone nest. They would have torn me apart if not for one human and his Gallade's efforts."
"See brother, not all humans are monsters, right father?"
"Indeed, not all humans are monsters, and the human who saved me I will never forget no matter how old I am." He replied with a smile.
"So tell us father, what happened after you fell into the Linoone nest!" Latias asked, wanting to know the story now that their dad was talking about his adventures outside of Southern Island.
"Well, first thing that happened was I was surrounded, the Linoones had me outnumbered twenty to one!" He said, and both Latias and her brother were hanging on his every word. "I was paralyzed, I had no way to get out. They had me trapped, the storm was still fiercely raging and thunder was flashing as rain poured down from the sky. It looked like the end for your dad! But then out of nowhere came this Gallade, charging into the pack and smacking two of them unconscious at the same time!"
"Then the pack turned its attention on the Gallade and its trainer, a young human boy, instantly a full on battle began, but the Gallade was too strong for them. One by one they fell like Pidgeys before the powerful Gallade."
"Why didn't they just attack the trainer?" Latios asked. "Humans are weak and defenseless compared to a Pokemon!"
Their father chuckled again and smirked. "Yes indeed, but you forget, he's a Trainer, and Trainers have the loyalty and admiration of Pokemon that fight for them. So it was with this Gallade, Gallade is a Pokemon that senses if its Trainer is in danger, and if so it fights all the more fiercely to protect them. Besides the Trainer was no fool, he hadn't rushed into a pack of Linoones to risk himself for nothing. He did it to save me."
Latias was amazed, it was everything she wanted to hear. "So what happened to the human?"
"After the battle the human picked me up and with the help of his Gallade, carried me to where he had pitched camp near the river." Their father continued. "Then he treated my injuries and paralysis with medicine. Humans may be weak compared to Pokemon, but they are smarter than many, and they can do things that we cannot. Such as making medicine. After he treated me, he waited until morning, when the storm finally let up briefly, to make sure I was better and ready to fly again."
"Then what?" Latios asked.
"He told me to be more careful, and wished me safe travels." He answered. "And started to leave me behind."
"Wait that's it, he just treated your injuries, rescued you from a Linoone nest, and all he said was 'safe travels'?" Latios asked incredulously.
"That's it, but instead of me leaving him, I chose to follow with him and I even joined his team." He answered with a smile. "We journeyed across Hoenn and challenged many trainers for over a year together. We became great friends, companions and I even adopted his team's slogan. Before I decided that I wanted to return home, so I offered him a gift, and asked if he wanted to visit my home before we parted ways. He answered yes, and felt honored to visit Southern Island. I showed him to the rest of our kind, and showed him the island for a few days. At the end, I returned him to the mainland of Hoenn and parted with him for the last time. But he vowed with his life, that he would never share the location of my home. That was almost thirty years ago, he's probably about forty years old by now."
"What was his name, the human who saved you?" Latias asked.
"I'll never forget his name, or the name of his Gallade." He said as he looked to the sky. "Arthur, and his Gallade 'Lancelot'. He had five others with him, his Fletchinder 'Kay', his Onix 'Tristan', an Escavalier he called 'Balin', an Eevee named 'Elaine', and finally his Seviper 'Galahad'."
They continued to listen to their father describe his adventures, talking about a 'Minor League' competition that some trainers competed in. How he helped Arthur achieve a few victories but they never got very far in this league, and especially none of the badges that the main Pokemon League Challenge offered. Latias asked him so many questions because she wanted to go and see what was beyond their island, what were humans like, what were battles like, why did they battle, why did they do this, why did they do that?
"Settle down, if you keep asking me I won't have any more stories to share with you!" He told her with a chuckle. "You know, the two of you should consider leaving the island entirely, and going to that region I spoke about!"
"Why father?" Latios asked curiously.
"Well you see, first of all there's…" He started saying before suddenly going quiet and looking off towards the woods. "I sense someone… somebody's on the island!"
Latias became excited before what her father said sank in, there was an intruder on the island, somebody other than a Latios or Latias was on their home. Out of instinct, she and her brother hid themselves by bending light around them with their feathers to become invisible, while their father merely levitated into the woods. "Stay hidden you two… I'll go check it out." He told them before he too went invisible.
Latias looked at her brother for a moment, before she chose to follow after him. "Sister, he told us to stay here!" Her brother whispered angrily.
"He told us to stay hidden, not stay here." Latias corrected him.
"Oooh… darn you sister!" Latios groaned and followed after her as well. "If we get in trouble this is all your fault!"
(Viridian's PoV)
"We've been walking for nearly half an hour, shouldn't we have found something by now?" Viridian complained as he looked around and saw nothing. "I thought I read somewhere that Latios and Latias form herds and that their native home is Southern Island."
"Complaining gets you nowhere Viridian." Masquerade said quietly. "By the looks of things, I'd say the herd isn't here today, probably out getting food or hunting in the water."
"So in other words there's nothing here?" He asked bitterly.
"Not necessarily, if the herd isn't here than that means they most likely left at least one member of their species behind to protect the Island!" He replied as they walked over a small clear stream of water. "My guess is that they left one behind to either protect the power this island is supposed to hold, or to protect the young that would remain behind, maybe both."
As they walked toward a clearing which seemed to separate into two paths, Masquerade began looking left and right before he tossed a local PokeNav to him. "Here, we'll split up and find our target. You take this route toward the shores on the west side of the island, I'll take this one and head further inland, if you spot our target alert me, and don't engage them. You forgot to bring one of your Pokemon with you, and I'm not lending you one of mine!"
"I didn't forget, I'd figured I'd give you a chance to prove what you keep saying about yourself." Viridian replied in his cool voice. "You keep saying you can do my job better, well let's see you eat those words and prove them right."
"Typical of you, let someone else do all the work." Masquerade said with a chuckle as he took the right route.
"Overconfidence will be your undoing Masquerade." He shot back, pocketing his PokeNav and going left.
"Just as it will be the end of you Viridian, research will only aid you so much!"
=Littleroot Town=
(Jacob's PoV)
"Thanks for the lift dad!" Jessy said as they all hopped out of her dad's truck. "See you around!"
"No problem dear, and stay safe!" He shouted.
"Porygon, Porygon Pory Pory gon gon!" Suzan called out from the seat next to him, having come along for the ride. (Keep safe you three, ensure you eat your necessary vitamins and minerals!)
"We will Suzan." Jacob replied having Sara to translate for him as she rode on his shoulder as usual.
With that said Ordin left them at the edges of Littleroot, heading back to Petalburg City. When he left them Jacob, Jessy, Karen, Lance and Sara made their way to Littleroot.
"It's been a while since we've been home Jacob." Jessy said as they walked along the path to their hometown.
"Yea, I wonder how much things have changed." Jacob said with a smile. "Perhaps we're celebrities."
"Yea right, I bet their preparing a big old feast for us at Professor Nomel's lab."
I've never been to Littleroot you two, what's it like?" Karen asked.
"It's a mostly quiet place, occasionally with a pair of misfit troublemakers like me and Jacob running around." Jessy said, causing the two of them to giggle.
As they saw the town starting to appear in the distance, Jacob looked off to the side to see a familiar field of flowers. Even further off, close to the woods, a single solitary grave stood.
"Hey uh, Jessy, would you mind taking Karen, Sara and the rest of my team back to Professor Nomel?" Jacob asked.
"Oh… uh sure, why not?" Jessy said, forcing a smile on her face as she quickly understood what he meant.
(Jacob?) Sara asked him privately, causing him to look into her amber eyes.
*It's alright Sara, I just want some alone time is all.* He replied calmly. *No reason to make you all stay with me when I go visit my mother.*
(Alright… if you say so.) She said worriedly. (If you're sure… I can stay with you, I don't mind!)
*It's okay Sara, just go hang out with Karen and Jessy's teams with Professor Nomel.* He said as he handed Jessy his team's belt as well as helped Sara off of his shoulder. *I just want to talk to my mother alright, I'll be along in a while.*
(Okay…) She said, and he could tell that she wasn't very happy with being separated from him.
"Alright come on Jacob's girlfriend, what's say I take you on the grand tour of my small hometown!" Jessy said with fake enthusiasm as she grabbed Karen by her shoulder and half dragged her away.
"Wait what, how come it's just me and you, and why do you keep calling me his Girlfriend!?" She shouted while being led away.
"Because you're his friend and you're a girl, thus you're his girlfriend Jacob's Girlfriend!" Jessy said with a laugh.
"I have a name you know!" Karen yelled.
Jacob watched as Karen and Jessy left him behind, and when they were out of sight he left the path and headed toward the field to his left, and more importantly the solitary grave near the woods. After a few minutes of solitary walking, he stopped and stared at the grave.
"Hi mom." He said to the grave, noticing that even after a year nothing had changed.
He put the backpack he was wearing down and sat before the grave, and simply stared at it. "Mom… I'm stronger now than I ever was before." He said to her with a faint smile. "I wonder if I had been this strong back then, maybe you would have… I mean what I'm trying to say is."
He stopped talking, not wanting to say what he wanted to say. It was pointless wishing he could turn back time, even if he could have been this strong nearly three years ago, what's done is done.
"But still, if you could see me now!" He said with a forced laugh. "I should have brought my team along with me, just so I could introduce them to you! You'd probably have loved them."
He stared at the grave again and chuckled to himself again, trying to picture his mom telling him to stop being rude and introduce them to her. "I know, I'll tell you about them since they aren't here!" He said suddenly. "First of all there's Harold. You know him, he's the Treecko I got as my starter. He's a Grovyle now, and a really strong and fast one, I think he's probably the closest one of my team I'm with. Well he's been probably one of my best friends since I started this journey mom, I mean seriously he's done so much for me! He's helped me win at least three Gym Badges, I owe him a lot, even more so because he's saved my life…"
"Then there's Sara, jeez how do I describe Sara." He said, trying to describe Sara as best he could. "Well she's a Kirlia, a really cute Kirlia who's always with me. She actually helps me talk to the rest of my team mom, you know by translating what they say to me. She's still technically wild but, between me and you I think she'd be happy with a Pokeball like the others. Now don't get me wrong I don't intend to put her in one, I think she deserves the right to decide if she has her own Pokeball or not! But she's also the nicest Pokemon I've ever been with, always polite and… well everything."
"Then there's Ivan and Roran, a Mightyena and Swellow, those two are probably my toughest members. Ivan and Roran never like to give up on a fight, in fact the two of them met each other by fighting. But they're also extremely strong, and they'll always take on opponents no matter how strong or intimidating. I'm really glad to have them on my side, I just hope I earn their trust."
"There's also Kora, a Beautifly I met as a Wurmple." He said with a laugh. "What can I say about her, she's a tiny Snorlax that flies? She's got a bottomless pit for a stomach and no matter how much I feed her she just always seems hungry! But she's a nice Beautifly, always has a way to make you smile or laugh mom, you'd probably have loved her."
He paused to think of his team again, away from him for the first time since before he began his life as a Trainer before he resumed talking about them. "You'd also have loved to meet Coral mom, my Milotic." He said with a smile. "Her Pokedex entry says she's probably the most Beautiful of all Pokemon, and I'd have to agree with it, she's absolutely stunning. I know a few trainers who were absolutely surprised when they found out what she evolved from, a Feebas of all things. Before she was not the prettiest fish to look at, and she didn't exactly do much besides tackle and splash, but I was taught to never treat any Pokemon as useless or worthless. I guess all of my patience and determination to prove everyone about Coral was worth it mom, she's like one of my most loyal team members. I'm happy to have her with me, she's been so helpful to me over these past few months."
"Then there's my last member, Kenna, a really shy Ponyta I met a few months ago. She doesn't like to fight and prefers to watch battles, she's probably the gentlest out of all my team members. She's different from other Ponyta because she's what most people refer to as a Shiny Ponyta, meaning she's got blue flames instead of red and orange. She's extremely nervous and shy around other people because of that, so I try to let her warm up to people as best I can. I know a Trainer is supposed to teach Pokemon to battle, but I don't have to always use my team members to fight right?"
He looked at the grave and pictured his mom agreeing with him about his decisions, but also wondered what she would think about his chosen path in life. "Tell me mom, what would you think about me and my Trainer life?" He asked her. "I mean, sure becoming champion is nice and all, but I don't want to spend my life battling Trainers whenever one wants to challenge me. I just want to learn more about them, how to care for them and what they all live like and so on."
(So basically what you originally wanted to do when I first met you?) A calm and familiar voice said in his head, causing Jacob to turn around instantly.
There standing behind him, as proud and magnificent as ever was his teacher, Arceus, or as he always called him Arky. "Arky!" Jacob said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
It was then he noticed something he failed to see, a small bouquet of flowers of different variety floating just next to him. As he watched his teacher took a step forward, and levitated the flowers onto the grave, before he stepped back again. (I believe it is a human custom, to leave flowers for those who have passed on, as a mark of respect.) He answered before he looked down at Jacob. (I only knew her for a small amount of time, but as she is your mother, I believe that it is only appropriate that I do this for her. I also didn't just come here to pay my respects, I came by to say hello to you.)
"You came by to say hello to me and my mother?" Jacob asked with a smile, standing up so he could be at a higher level while speaking to his teacher.
Even after a year being separated, he still was only just under half the height of his teacher. Jacob looked back at the solitary grave, and lamented the fact that his mother was gone.
(You still miss her don't you Jacob?) Arky asked him quietly.
"Yea… I still do." He replied just as quietly, with a hint of sadness to join it. "I know I shouldn't be sad after three years, but I still miss her Arky."
(It's understandable Jacob, you are her son after all, and she was your mother and only parental figure for much of your life. The fact she was taken from you so soon only deepens the wound that you now carry inside of you. However the void you once had that I sensed before, seems to no longer be there. Filled by the friends and companions that you now spend your days with.)
"Oh yea, my friends, you just missed them!" Jacob said, remembering his team again. "If you want we could catch up with…"
Arky shook his head as he started to suggest that. (No Jacob, not yet anyway, it is not time for me to introduce myself to your friends.) He said gently. (I know you want to introduce me to them all, yet I ask you to restrain yourself for now. I have my reasons for wanting to remain anonymous to them, but please understand and respect my wishes Jacob. When the time is right, I will happily reveal myself to them all, and let all who wish to know of who I am see who it was who taught you all you know, however now is not that time.)
Jacob sighed and nodded in understanding, Arky was always stiff about his privacy as well as remaining hidden. He didn't like lying or keeping secrets from his friends, but he trusted Arky to his word. He did after all, take care of him and teach him for four years, as well as give him wonderful gifts. If Arky asked him to keep his identity a secret for now, then he will. "Alright Arky, I'll just tell the others you're a really awesome Pokemon!" He said with a smile.
(Am I anything else?) Arky chuckled as he bent down. (Come Jacob, we have much to discuss now that you've returned.)
"Alright, but just so you know I can walk." Jacob replied as he climbed onto his teacher's back after replacing his pack on his back. "I'm not that young or that slow anymore."
(Maybe, but this way is faster.) Arky replied as he turned and in one jump, crossed the entire meadow into the direction of their old place, The Sanctuary.
(Karen's PoV)
"Wait… they killed his mother?" Karen asked after Jessy explained the truth about leaving Jacob as they visited a small cake shop.
"Yea, that's why he asked us to go on ahead, he wanted some alone time to visit his mom." Jessy said as she put her cup of coffee down, how she can drink that stuff Karen didn't know. "Just give him a bit of space for now, he needs to be alone and wants to be alone."
Karen had followed Jessy rather angrily as she was pulled by the young girl, but after hearing the story, she understood now why she had done it. Sara and Lance listened to the story, though Sara acted sad and depressed, her depression seemed to be deeper. She guessed it was probably being separated from Jacob, though the truth seemed to be impacting her just as much.
"I can't believe Snagem just up and killed Jacob's mother, no wonder he always acted different whenever Team Snagem was around." Karen said as she scratched Lance's ears to make him giggle. "I just always assumed it was because they stole Pokemon and he loved them."
"Stealing Pokemon 'was' all they did before, but that's what I don't understand." Jessy said as she took another sip of her coffee. "When I fully understood what happened, the first thing I started doing after I left Littleroot was dig up more information on Snagem. They've been in other regions, mostly I've read about their activities in Orre, but they've been here and there. However at every encounter, they've captured or stolen Pokemon from their owners or from areas like the Safari Zone."
"Yet I've only ever discovered that they've only ever actually killed a person one time. Unfortunately that time was three years ago, and that one person was Jacob's mother." She said sadly. "It's a sensitive subject we try to avoid as much as possible Karen, I think he's still really depressed deep down. I'm honestly surprised he's as cheerful as he is right now."
"What about his dad, where's he?" Karen asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No clue, dad never bothered talking to Ms. Beryl when I was younger, and I only ever bothered with Jacob because he wanted to learn about Pokemon as well. I figured he'd be a great rival for me, but when his mother died, I asked my dad about his dad. Nobody knows who his dad is, only that his mother brought him here before he was born."
"What about his other relatives? Surely there's someone Jacob's related to here in Hoenn!"
Once again Jessy shook her head sadly. "Nobody for at least a few regions over. He might have family in Kalos or Unova, maybe even Kanto but as far as relatives here, none here in Hoenn that we know of. He's been on his own for over three years now, as you've noticed he's become very capable of taking care of himself."
"Yea, we have noticed that he's really capable for being twelve years old now." Karen said thoughtfully, remembering all of the times he acted as both veterinarian, nurse, cook, guide, money keeper, and everything else he did while she travelled with him. "So what happened to him after his mother died?"
Jessy sighed as she called a waiter and asked for another cup of coffee, before she resumed her story. "After Ms. Beryl died, we tried to find someone to take care of Jacob, but in the end he went to the Littleroot Orphanage. He's lived there for two years before he became a Trainer, during that time he continued to take lessons from 'Arky', whoever that is. He never told me who he was, we were never exactly friendly to each other before, and even after that incident we still weren't friendly."
"Arky, he's a Pokemon according to Jacob, a psychic type!" Karen said as she recalled their conversation in Mauville City. "He never talked about him very much, only that he taught him everything he knew."
"Yea I figured as much, whoever or whatever his teacher is did a really good job of teaching him all that stuff. I only wonder what species of Pokemon they were, and how come I never found out where he was teaching him."
"Did you ever follow him?" Karen asked as Lance yawned in boredom.
"A few times but, he would just disappear around the woods nearby. It was strange, one moment I would be tailing him, and it was like suddenly I'd get this strange foggy feeling, and I'd forget where I was for a moment or what I was doing there. Then I'd feel better but I'd forget wherever I was before."
"Sounds like a Psychic Type alright, a really powerful one if it could do that every day." Karen said as she tried to figure out what kind of Pokemon could do that.
"Yea, but he always came back to town alright, and whenever someone tried to follow him to see wherever he was going, they couldn't follow him either. Eventually we just let him be, but he was never as depressed as when his mother died. I guess he got over it faster than we gave him credit for."
Karen nodded in understanding, and would have said that was good, if it weren't for the fact that at that exact moment a huge roar sounded from outside. Instantly trainer instincts took over and both Karen and Jessy, with Sara and Lance in their hands ran outside to look at what was in the sky.
All they saw was a pair of slick smoke trails, made by something that had moved very fast to the northwest. "What was that?" Karen asked.
"Ignore that, what are those!" Jessy yelled as she pointed at something else.
As she watched, two objects fell from the sky, and from their direction they were falling north of Littleroot, where they had left Jacob behind.
(Jacob's PoV)
"Wow, look at this place, nothing's changed since I left!" Jacob said as he climbed down from Arky's back and dropped his backpack again.
(Indeed, nothing has changed in the year you have been away from here.) Arky said as he walked towards the center of the Sancturay, where the biggest cushions were so he and Jacob could sit in comfort. (You still have that book I gave you Jacob?)
Jacob nodded as he rummaged around in his backpack for the book Arky gave him and pulled it out, taking it with him as he went to sit next to his teacher on the cushions. "I never thanked your properly before Arky for giving me this book, and I'm sorry if I wake you up at night when you might be sleeping."
(Do not worry, I don't exactly sleep.) Arky said with a smile, or at least in the only way he could smile lacking a mouth that Jacob could see. (In any case, I am glad that you have made great use of it, remember Jacob if ever you want to tell to me of anything that you are concerned about, don't hesitate to do so. Though we may be separated by great distances, as long as you have that book, I will always be able to hear your thoughts and talk to you in your dreams if you need me to. Remember though, that book is meant only for you, do not let another write inside of it, because not only does it let me talk to you and hear of your adventures, it also acts as my means to find you.)
Jacob nodded as Arky described the book, though one thing he wondered was why he couldn't even share it with his friends.
(Because Jacob, as you know, gossip spreads despite how closely guarded a secret is.) Arky said when he asked him. (It is safer for you to keep this book a secret to all, including those you travel with. I do this to keep you safe, and safe is how I intend to keep you my student.)
Jacob nodded and leaned against his teacher, feeling comfortable and content with himself. "It's nice to be here again Arky, its way nicer here than the orphanage was to me."
Arky leaned down and looked at him with one eye, a feat considering how tall he and large he was, and despite how serious Arceus appeared to Jacob, he knew 'Arky' was gentle and kind. (Remember Jacob, this place is your home when nowhere else will suffice.) He said gently. (If the world should ever shun you, or if you fear for your safety and life, you need only return to the Sanctuary and it will protect you from the outside world.)
Then he chuckled in Jacob's mind. (But enough of such talk, there is something I'd like to talk to you about!)
"Like what?" Jacob asked as he looked up at his teacher.
(Tell me of this girl you've been meeting in visions, created by a Mismagius you believe.)
"Yea it's really strange Arky." He said with a sigh. "I think she's trying to help me, but she keeps on waiting to appear. I'm not sure if she's real or just an illusion by that Mismagius. But if she were just an illusion, why is it she seems so real, and not just to me but Harold as well!"
Arky nodded as he listened to everything what Jacob described, and after a few minutes pause he spoke up again.
(She does seem real, and familiar at the same time from what you've shown me and told me of her.) He said thoughtfully. (Let me see if I can recreate her from your memories…)
Jacob watched as the air shimmered in front of them as Arky used his powers to create a phantom image of the mysterious girl. She looked exactly the way Jacob remembered her as, right down to the mask. "Why can't you remove her mask?"
(I can only recreate what you remember Jacob, I do not know what her face looks like.) He said. (Now let me see something, if I recall the last time you had a mysterious dream which featured a girl, it was about the Key Stone you possess. Let me see if I can recreate that image as well…) Moments later a shadowed image of the same figure Jacob saw from his last vision with Arky appeared next to the girl. (Interesting… they are almost exactly the same height. Yet this girl looks to be in her… early twenties in Human years from what I can see. I can't tell what age the previous owner was, so I can't tell if there are any similarities.)
"She also isn't the previous owner, she said she doesn't own a Keystone, and if she's real than clearly this Keystone can't be hers." Jacob said, remembering his first conversation with the girl.
(Indeed, but if she doesn't own this Key Stone then why is she so protective of it?) He said curiously. (Why deny you what is rightfully yours by birthright and privilege? That is what confuses me. Surely she doesn't just want to make sure you are 'ready' to use it.)
"Yea, she told me to leave it with her and let another, more worthy trainer 'claim it from her' as she put it." Jacob said. "How come I'm not worthy of it, just because I don't wear it?"
(Think not of what she said Jacob, you are more than worthy to have it.) Arky replied, looking down at Jacob as the phantom images disappeared. (If I say you are worthy to have it, then you are worthy to have it. And I want you to keep it with you at all times, wear if you…)
A sudden roar of sound broke the peaceful silence of the Sanctuary, causing Jacob and Arky to look up as a flash of blue roared past them in the sky, trailing a pair of smoke behind it. He couldn't make out what it was, but it looked like a jet plane flying awfully low for its size.
"What was that?"Jacob asked.
(If I didn't know any better, I'd take a guess that a jet just flew by overhead.) He said in mild surprise. (A jet in the shape of a Latios no doubt, curious what you Humans will make…)
Arky stopped talking as two objects fell from the sky right as the Latios jet's sound faded. One veered away from the other and toward the direction of the meadow where Jacob's mother was buried. The second flew right for them at breakneck speed, heading directly for Jacob and Arky. In fact so direct was this second object's path that it was going to slam right into the two of them in mere seconds.
(HELP MEEEEEEEE!) A psychic voice shouted out, causing Jacob to clutch his head in pain at how loud it was, yet Arky didn't seem at all affected by the loudness.
With mere seconds before the object crashed into them, Arky reacted. Faster than a Snorlax can eat a buffet, and with the same grace as an Articuno in flight, He used his powers to slow down the object and land it softly onto the cushions before them. As it settled Jacob could make out what the object was, and what he saw amazed him.
It was a Pokemon, a red and white Pokemon that looked like a plane, but was much smaller. It was about four feet tall and longer in length, with its lower body colored red and upper body white. Its head was half red and white, with white triangular ears, red and white arms, red fin-like feet and jet plane like wings. The Pokemon, for indeed it was a Pokemon, was wrapped up in what appeared to be a very heavy net that had many weights weighing it down, preventing the captured occupant from flying.
"Hang on, I'll help you out!" Jacob said, not knowing what Pokemon it was but realizing it needed help instantly.
Jacob started trying to untie the net, but it was wrapped around the Pokemon so tightly that he couldn't find the ends to untie it. So instead he ran back to his bag and searched for a knife, once he found it he started cutting the net apart. Once free he looked over the Pokemon for any injuries, and thankfully found none, though he noticed it was carrying some kind of device in its clawed hands.
"Are you alright?" Jacob asked the Pokemon.
The Pokemon looked up at him, and then to Arky behind him in fear and hope. (Who… who are you… are you a Trainer?) She asked them both, and he knew it was a 'she' after spending so much time hearing Sara's voice.
"Yea I'm a Trainer." Jacob said with a nod. "My name is Jacob, and this is my teacher Arky."
She looked to Arky and again asked them both, though it was clearly directed to Arky. (Can I trust him?)
Arky nodded and replied that Jacob was indeed trustworthy. (What is wrong young Latias?) He asked gently.
Latias grabbed Jacob's arms and looked at him face to face. (You've got to help me and my brother, our father's been taken by bad humans!) She begged him.