=Chapter 35, Southern Island Adventures=
*Jacob to Arky*
*After Latias and I left you, we made our way to a secret lab to rescue her and her brother's dad, an older Latios. I won't go into full detail because, well this isn't the time to be thinking such morbid thoughts, but after a close battle with Viridian again, we rescued the Eon Pokemon and escaped the lab. Unfortunately it locked down so nobody could enter it again, and our teams were quite wounded.*
*The good news is that we all got out of there with not nearly as serious wounds as the last time we fought him. Even better news, the Eon Pokemon trust us enough to let us visit their home, Southern Island! We had to make a vow to not talk about its location, I can't even describe where it is generally located to you, that's how deep the vow is.*
*We visited the Island, and upon our arrival we were introduced to the two younger Eon duo's mother, the Matriarch of the herd. She thanked us, and welcomed us to stay on the Island to let our Pokemon rest and relax. Needless to say, we took full advantage of this paradise. I won't be writing to you often while we're here, because my team and I are having so much fun here.*
=Dinner Time with the Team=
(Jacob's PoV)
"Alright, last one in is a rotten egg!" Jacob shouted as he dived into the pool that Latias had showed him.
"Grovyle!" Harold replied eagerly as he ran after Jacob.
(You're not leaving me behind Jacob!) Sara yelled as she ran on her short legs to keep up with them.
It was only their first day on Southern Island, no more than a few minutes since he and his friends separated with their respective teams, yet the first thing Latias showed him was the pool where she and her family spent most of their day relaxing. Instantly Jacob took the chance and asked if his team wanted to go for a swim. All of them accepted, with exception to Kenna, Kora and Roran welcomed the chance. Though the girls of his team, including Sara, had to turn around while he changed into his swimming trunks, and the boys made sure they didn't peak.
Now that he was changed, he and those who wanted to go for a short swim while there was still some sunlight could hardly wait. Jacob was first one in the pool with a resounding splash, followed by Harold and then Sara. Next to follow were Coral and Ivan, then finally Latias as she joined in the rush to go for a swim.
The water was wonderfully cool, only slightly warmed thanks to the sunlight that shown down through the tree's canopy. Jacob swam to the surface and spat out a mouthful of water. The water was a good twenty feet deep, and the pool itself was a good thirty feed wide. Below him Jacob could see Coral swimming around the bottom, looking up at him and waving at him with her tail. He looked around to see his team enjoying the water as well, or at least those who could swim. Sara was floundering, trying to stay afloat with her small figure.
(Jacob, a little help please?) She asked him as her head went under for a brief second.
He nodded and swam over to her, and helped her onto his shoulder again. "You shouldn't have come into the water if you didn't know how to swim Sara." He said, wading the water with his legs to stay on top.
(I just wanted to stay with you.) She said, shaking her hair to get the water out and blushing in embarrassment. (But I guess it was a little silly of me.)
"Grooo vyle vyle vyle vyle!" Harold laughed as he swam circles around him and Sara.
"Uh, Sara, translation please?" He asked.
Sara only blushed deeper as she looked away. (You don't want to know…)
Jacob nodded and smirked as he came up with an idea, and Sara, reading his mind, couldn't agree more with his plan. Psychically she told Coral what Jacob wanted her to do to Harold, and in moments, the agile Wood Gecko Pokemon, who was still laughing at Sara and Jacob, was suddenly spluttering as he was pulled underwater by the even more agile Tender Pokemon, Coral the Milotic.
Harold went under for a few moments before Coral let him go, allowing him to swim back up to the surface. "Gro Gro Grovyle!" He shouted angrily at Coral as she swam up to the surface to giggle at him. "What was that for?"
Coral winked at Harold before she gave her reply. "Milotic Milotic tic Milo." She said before going back under the water. "To remind you who the water type is here."
At that Kenna, Kora and Roran all laughed at Harold from the sidelines, all of whom were some distance from the water. Harold, now thoroughly embarrassed, simply swam to shore to save some of his dignity. Jacob couldn't help but laugh at that as well, his Harold was by far his best and probably strongest as well as most reliable team member, yet even he had his limits and weaknesses.
Ivan who had also followed after him and the others, had taken a short swim around before getting out of the pool, shaking furiously to get as much of the water out of his fur. He only gave a smirk at Harold before padding over to sunbathe with the others.
"We've only got about two hours of sunlight left." Jacob said as he looked up and saw the sky starting to change colors.
(Aww, already leaving the pool?) Latias asked sadly as she swam around them, using her ability to levitate to propel her through the water. (But you just got here, can't you swim a little longer?)
"I'm sorry Latias, but my team needs to eat and we also need to prepare for bed." Jacob said as he swam to shore with Sara holding onto him. "They haven't had a proper meal since this morning."
Coral swam up to the surface and joined Jacob as he returned to the land, seeing that he was getting out to prepare food for them all.
After Jacob got out of the water and dried off he put his clothes back on, again changing with the girl's backs turned, he opened up his pack and began to pull out stuff to cook with. Though he was hesitant to actually cook anything on Latias' home. "Actually, can we go back to that one spot where we arrived?" Jacob asked his team. "I'd rather cook on the edge of the island where it's more rock than forest."
His team didn't seem to mind, but they were curious about why he wanted to go all the way back there. Still none of them questioned and followed him as he made his way to the section of the island where they had arrived. Along the way Latias introduced him to various members of her herd, showing them that many lived under particular trees for the night, and showed him some of the trees that had fruit which normally they would eat.
(But our herd does need some meat in our diet, so every few weeks my mom, the herd's Matriarch, leads them out into the sea beyond the veil to go Remoraid hunting.) She explained as one of the other Latias' handed her a claw full of Remoraid. (We only need a few for our diet, so that's why we only go every few weeks. What about your herd, do you feed your herd meat every day or every few weeks?)
"My team is mostly vegetarian, but some of them can eat meat while others require meat." Jacob explained. "Ivan needs meat in his diet, Coral can get by without it, Sara prefers berries and vegetables, Harold is vegetarian by species and nature, Kora prefers berry juice, Roran can go either way but needs a bit of both weekly, and Kenna just likes berry juice soup."
They reached the part of the island where they had arrived, and with the help of his team they prepared a small cooking fire with fallen sticks and leaves. Once the fire was ready, he started cooking some food for those who wanted the meat, namely Ivan, and those who preferred his berry and vegetable soup.
As the sun was about to fully set, the food was finished, and the smell of Jacob's delicious cooking could be smelled around their small camp fire. As the smell grew stronger, Jacob could tell that not only was his team drooling at the food, so too was Latias.
(That smells delicious…) She said, watching Jacob pour the food into bowls, separating them for each of his team. (Can I have some?)
"Sure, plenty for everyone here!" Jacob said, guessing correctly that perhaps his cooking would indeed entice the legendary.
He didn't know what it was, but for some reason his cooking always impressed people and Pokemon alike, though it was particular that Pokemon seemed to enjoy his cooking greatly.
With bowls given to his team, Sara for some reason choosing to sit in his lap while eating her food, he gave one more bowl to Latias before he too settled into his own food. A moment later a squeal of delight was heard as she tasted the food. (This is amazing!) She said, gulping her entire bowl down with gusto. (I've never eaten cooked food before, mostly we just eat what we find. Is this how all humans eat?)
"Pretty much, we cook all of our food but not always." Jacob said. "I just cook because my team prefers it if I do."
They all ate their food and Jacob watched as each of his team gave content sighs after having their bellies filled. However just as he was going to suggest going to bed, two more Eon Pokemon appeared, both Latios', followed by two more, this time both Latias'. Then Jacob looked out and saw more Eon Pokemon appearing from the forest, approaching their small camp.
*Why do I have a feeling they aren't here to wish us good night.* Jacob thought to Sara as he saw the first few Latios' and Latias' eyeing what was left of the soup in the cooking pot with hungry eyes.
(I think you might have to do a bit more cooking Jacob…) Sara said with a slight chuckle.
=Harold's Resolve=
(Harold's PoV)
The next day for Harold passed by with relative speed, as he spent most of his time relaxing and sunbathing at the edge of the Island.
Right now he was enjoying the sunset with his Trainer and his friends, as well as Sara and Lance. They had spent the entire day touring the island and going over the various places that the island had, occasionally swimming in a pool if they found one or felt like it with Latias and her brother Latios. The Matriarch and her mate, whom only referred to himself as the Alpha Male of the island, had asked the rest of their herd to help them and show them around if they asked.
Since then they had eaten lunch and just an hour ago dinner, much to the delight of the herd, as they had become aware of how good Jacob's cooking was, and now it seemed the entire herd wanted to enjoy his food.
"Alright, I think it's time we went to bed guys." Jacob said to the others, stretching and yawning as he did.
"Yea, sunset's nice and all, but I'm exhausted." Jessy said with a yawn.
"How can you be exhausted, you've done nothing but relax and enjoy life all day?" Karen said as she too stood up and stretched.
"You try going to sleep when you get these Eon Pokemon flying around you every time you go to bed.
"It's not their fault, they hardly get visitors to the island!" Karen said with a laugh.
"Harold, you coming buddy?" Jacob asked him.
Harold looked up and shook his head, he wanted some time alone tonight.
So Jacob left with the others, as well as Sara and Lance, leaving him alone on the cliff to look out at the open water. Here he was, so very far away from the mainland, from the trees and forests he knew, stranded on an island that was both friendly and inviting, as well as closed off.
They called this Southern Island, and while he knew it was pointless to share the island's location with people, he also knew that to share it with Pokemon was also forbidden. But he didn't mind, it was a small price to pay for the protection and calm this place gave him.
He was enjoying this downtime from what happened yesterday, something he was not expecting to happen. Yes, he knew something was happening to his best friend, Jacob, and yes he was ready and prepared to protect his Bonded Trainer, which he did to the best of his ability. Yet he was not expecting to go up against that Viridian again.
What's more, now he wasn't sure if he could protect himself anymore.
Before yesterday, there was no doubt, no doubt whatsoever in what he was doing. He knew that he would protect his Trainer Jacob with all of his power. That no matter how dangerous the situation seemed, he could never fail to protect him, and Jacob could never fail to keep him safe as well.
He sighed and stood up to walk on all fours to where Jacob and the others made camp.
As he walked, he found where they were sleeping, in their sleeping bags, with all of their Pokemon out of their balls, with exception to Feral the Gyarados, who preferred to stay inside of his ball.
Each of the teams were in small groups surrounding their trainers, with Karen's team next to her, Jessy's in another, and finally Jacob's group on the far end of the small clearing they were staying.
What was surprising was that the team was not all asleep, instead Ivan, Roran, and Coral were wide awake and watching him approach.
"Finally showed up did you?" Ivan growled, watching him from out of the corner of his eye. "Took your time big leader."
Harold ignored him and walked on, choosing to take a spot next to Jacob to curl up for sleep.
Moments later, Coral slithered over and leaned in close to look at him directly. "What is wrong Harold, why do you not speak?"
"Leave it alone." Harold whispered, turning to look away from her.
"You cannot dodge this forever Harold, Jacob is worried about you." Coral said, moving her head to look at him face to face again. "He asked us to talk to you, and I will find out what is wrong even if I have to drag you to the water and dunk you to do so."
"That's right, so do us all a favor and tell us so we can go to sleep!" Roran chirped, hopping over to them on his talons. "Unlike Kenna, Kora and Sara who all fell asleep, we stayed up so we could find out what was wrong."
Harold snarled slightly before he calmed down and nodded, getting up and stretching before beckoning to the others to follow him. He didn't want to disturb the other's sleep with this conversation, and it was no doubt going to get loud.
Once they were quite a bit of distance away, and well away from the ears of the island's sleeping owners, he stopped and turned to talk to them. "You want to know what's wrong with me." He asked them all. "Fine, I'll tell you, but don't you dare laugh at me or belittle me!"
"The way you say that it sounds like we'd belittle you even more for not telling us." Coral said calmly.
"Stop making this so serious." Ivan barked. "Just tell us, the sooner we know the sooner we can go to bed."
Harold growled at the Mightyena, and seeing this Ivan growled back as well. "You think this is a joke?" He whispered. "Do you have any, any idea what nearly happened to me back at that secret lab?"
Roran shook his head. "Sara only said we fought Viridian again, nothing more."
"Of course she would forget the big thing that happened, she and Jacob wanted to protect my image as his best friend and strongest team member." Harold said. "Well for your information, no that wasn't all that happened. I was almost taken away from Jacob, do you get it now. Viridian was one small step away from capturing me from Jacob, I was almost SNAGGED!"
At this news Coral looked slightly confused. "How is that possible, aren't we are protected from being stolen?" She said. "The Pokeball Protection Barrier keeps us from being recaptured by another Trainer. Jacob said so himself, there's no way he could have lied to us!"
At this Harold snarled again in frustration, they just didn't get the picture. "Well that's not how it is, that Viridian said he had something called a Snag Ball to capture already captured Pokemon." He said. "And it's not like I'd be simply put in another ball… it's worse than that…"
At this the three Pokemon lost their looks of confusion and disbelief, instead replacing it with looks of concern. "What is it like?" Coral asked nervously.
Harold turned away, and held himself with his claws as the memories of the incident came flooding back. "It's horrible…" He said, as the vicious memories started assaulting him. "I felt like… like something was trying to erase my memories of Jacob… as if they were just useless information. I could feel it… trying to make me forget Jacob… of everything we've been through and done together. I tried to fight back… but it was like a battle that I was on the verge of losing. It was winning every second, and I could feel that Snag Ball getting closer to making me forget Jacob was my Trainer! I tried so hard to keep those memories, but the only thing that resisted it was Jacob's name."
"You have no idea… no idea at all… how close it was." He said, looking at one claw to see how much he was shaking. "For a brief moment… I forgot who Jacob was… as though he were a stranger! Then… I felt something else affecting me, as if it were rewriting those memories. That Snag Ball made me turn feral for a brief moment… for a single second I forgot who I was and only saw Jacob as a threat to me. I wanted to kill him… to destroy him… to sink my claws into his throat and watch the blood pour from him… for daring to try and capture me!"
He held himself again, still trying to forget those horrible thoughts, but unable to. "When that thought, the thought of hurting Jacob arose… I fought so hard to break free. I poured everything I had left into breaking free of that Snag Ball. I just wanted to get out and be with Jacob again, to hold him and to be held by him, to feel safe once more! Then when I finally broke free and realized where I was and who everyone was… I was so afraid. I was terrified that if I didn't hold onto Jacob, he'd vanish and I'd be responsible for him vanishing!"
He was shivering so hard now, he had never been so afraid in his life. All he wanted to do was forget ever being in that battle to begin with.
As he shivered he felt Coral use whatever it was that allowed her species to soothe and calm the emotions of Pokemon around her. He felt calmer all of a sudden, and his shivering slowly started to settle down. "Thank you Coral." He said to the Milotic.
"Of course leader." She said, using the term to tell him his position in their team's hierarchy. "Listen Harold, Jacob cares about you as much as we do. I know he will protect you and all of us from whatever these 'Snag Balls' do, and I trust he will keep us safe. So don't be afraid of being unable to protect him."
Ivan growled lightly, causing Harold to look back at the Mightyena. In the dark of night, the Bite Pokemon looked even more intimidating than he did in the day. "Coward." He said to him.
"What did you say?" Harold growled back.
Ivan bared his fangs as he continued to growl. "I called you a coward!" He whispered. "Fearing being unable to protect our Alpha, is a sign of weakness, and you're a coward for even thinking such thoughts."
"I am not a coward!" Harold snapped back.
At this Ivan took two steps toward him, fangs bared and claws extended in preparation for battle. "Then prove me wrong!" He barked. "I CHALLENGE YOU FOR RIGHT OF LEADERSHIP IN THE PACK!"
Harold growled back, refusing to back down from this challenge, even if deep down he thought it was pointless. Harold was only the leader because he was closest to Jacob and his strongest team member. Jacob was the true leader of their group and team, so this challenge was pointless in his eyes. However that was not going to stop him from accepting this fight to put the Bite Pokemon in his place. Challenging him was a challenge against Jacob's decisions, and he would not allow that to happen.
"Ivan calm down, we're on Southern Island!" Coral said angrily, trying to slither between the two. "We are guests on this island, and Jacob told us to avoid fighting here! We are here to relax and enjoy ourselves not battle."
"He is a coward and a weakling for fearing these Snag Balls!" Ivan howled angrily. "What kind of leader in our pack fears betraying or losing his Alpha? One who is weak and unworthy of the title! If he is too weak and cowardly to not fear these Snag Balls then I will become the new leader of the pack, and our Alpha's greatest ally!"
"If you don't fear these Snag Balls then you are worse of a leader than I am!" Harold yelled back. "I won't let Jacob have you for a leader if you do not have the willingness to be afraid of anything!"
"This isn't the time or place for such pathetic challenges." Coral said, trying to use her powers again to calm the hostilities, but failing because of how fierce the two Pokemon were.
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Ivan roared, jumping over Coral and charging straight at Harold. "I'LL TEACH HIM WHO HE SHOULD BE AFRAID OF!"
Harold responded with speed and ferocity to Ivan's all out aggressiveness. He swung his leaf bladed arm upward to slice at Ivan, hoping to knock him back and end this fight in one hit, but Ivan easily took the hit and gripped Harold tightly with both fangs and claws. The two rolled around in a mess of scratching and growls, lashing at each other as they each tried to get the upper claw on the other.
Ivan scratched at Harold's soft underbelly, causing it to bleed slightly while Harold clamped down on Ivan's muzzle with his mouth, causing it to bleed as well. That's when Coral had enough of the two, and blasted them both with a fierce Water Pulse, pushing them both back. However that did not stop Harold or Ivan from simply charging at each other to bite, claw, and tear at each other.
"Stop it, stop it both of you!" Coral shouted, trying to hit them with another Water Pulse but missing as they rolled out of its path. "Roran help me separate them!"
"What do you want me to do, Jacob trained me for speed and accuracy, not endurance!" He shouted.
Meanwhile Harold and Ivan continued to scratch and claw at each other, until finally Harold gave Ivan a powerful kick that sent him flying backward into a tree. He hit the tree hard, fell the floor and landed in a crumpled heap. Harold stood up and stared at the Bite Pokemon, bearing the scars of their battle, before he walked over to Ivan and growled again.
"I am not a coward!" He growled as he panted for breath. "I just don't want to lose Jacob after all we have done together!"
Ivan this time chuckled and looked at him with one eye. "Then get stronger leader." He said. "This is why I do not fear these Snag Balls. Nor do I fear ever betraying or losing our Alpha. Because it is weakness I will never allow myself to feel. That is why I fight you and everyone else who challenges our Alpha, because if I become stronger than I will never fear losing our Alpha. So if you fear losing our Alpha, then get stronger and you never will have to be afraid of losing him again!"
Harold looked at the Mightyena before the two of them started chuckling, then they started laughing their heads off. Coral and Roran were just confused as they watched Harold and Ivan laughing.
Harold couldn't believe that the solution was so simple to his problem, Ivan was right, all he has to do is get stronger than. If he became strong, then the Snag Balls would never threaten him ever again, and Viridian would never come close to hurting Jacob.
"Your right… I will get stronger Ivan!" He said to the Bite Pokemon as he looked to the sky. "I will get stronger… I will become strong enough to achieve Mega Evolution with Jacob's help, and then I will get even stronger than that! I'll be the strongest ever so that I will never fear losing or failing my Trainer ever again!"
=Third of Six=
(Mismagius' PoV)
She watched as the two trainers pulled out their miracle stones of power and showed them to the Eon Herd around them. The third one, without a stone of power, merely climbed a tree with the aid of her Linoone and Mightyenas and Breloom. However she had eyes for only the human male and his stone of power, the glimmering stone of multiple colors and great power.
-I can see it, getting stronger, much stronger… yes very much so!- She said silently, hidden from all of those gathering and gathered. –Time to test him yes, very much so… must test him again. Yes? No? Yes indeed, it must be yes!-
She eyed the teams, and picked out those that were needed. She sensed his bond, it was strongest with some, not so with others. The Grovyle, the Kirlia, the Milotic, and the Ponyta were strongest while the Ponyta was weakest of that group. The Mightyena, the Beautifly, and the Swellow were the weakest in terms of the bond's strength. Yet still, this was not what she wanted.
-Must be strong with all, not strong with some! Yes, very much so. Are you sure, not sure are we? Indeed.- She whispered quietly. –Question, how do we do this? Too many, yes? No? Are you sure? I'm not sure, are we sure? I believe so, are you? Yes not too many, we can do this!-
She put her plan into action, and moved into position so that she could see the entire field, as well as make eye contact with all of the Pokemon, but those that were needed.
And of course, the human and his stone.
(Jacob's PoV)
(Wow… that's a Keystone?) Latias asked as she and her brother admired Jacob and Jessy's Keystones.
(It's beautiful… can I touch it?) Latios asked.
Jacob chuckled as he and Jessy showed off their Keystones to the herd of Eon Pokemon on their third day of being on Southern Island. When they had heard Jacob and Jessy had Keystones, they begged the trainers to show them off. So now here they were admiring the shiny stones on Jessy's Mega Necklace, and Jacob's Mega Bracelet.
(I have not seen a Keystone in many a years, it's an honor to see two of them here before us on this island.) Latias' and Latios' dad said from his resting place, preferring to lie on the ground instead of levitating nearer. (There's a legend that says bearers of Keystones are destined for great things, or to do great things. Whether they be good or bad matters not, for those who have Keystones and use them achieve one of both.)
(Indeed, I don't remember ever seeing a Keystone before in my life, and now I've seen two of them.) The smaller but still largest Latias said, who was basking in the sunlight with him, nuzzling her mate's cheek lovingly while also admiring the Keystones alongside the rest of their herd.
The Matriarch and her mate explained that they knew all about Mega Evolution, having members of the herd that at one point Mega Evolved with the help of Trainers in the past. They also explained though that most of the herd had never seen a Keystone before, but any Trainer who had one is considered royalty above all other Trainers and Pokemon to them.
Other members of the herd admired the Keystones as well, some gazing at them with wonder and awe.
"I inherited my Keystone from my dad!" Jessy said with a giggle. "He was getting up there in age, and he didn't have any use for it anymore. So he gave it to me."
Harold was curled up with Jacob while Jessy had Flare sitting next to her, both starters basking in the admiration the herd was giving them, as they know that they are both capable of Mega Evolution. Sara was told she too could Mega Evolve, but none of the Eon Pokemon told her what she became.
(So how did you get your Keystone Jacob?) Latias asked curiously, admiring the way his Keystone resembled a tree.
"To be honest, I was told it belonged to a member of my family, but I got it after rescuing it from a group called Team Snagem." He explained.
"Yea, of course you two get lucky with your Keystones." Karen called from in a tree she was climbing with her team's help. "Just wait until I get mine, I don't need to inherit it from bad guys or dad!"
"Someday Karen!" Jessy laughed heartily as she put her Mega Necklace on. "Come on Jacob, put it on already. I wanna see how you look with it on!"
Jacob contemplated putting it on, and decided to put it on just to see how it did look on him. "Alright, alright." He chuckled, taking his time to put the Keystone around his wrist.
"Hey what's that?" Karen shouted suddenly, calling everyone to look at something she was pointing at on the opposite side of the clearing.
Jacob looked and saw a small shimmer, and then the shimmering vanished, revealing a Pokemon in its place. More particularly, a Mismagius.
"Mismagius?" Jacob yelled, suddenly standing on his feet as Harold went into a defensive stance, instantly recognizing the Pokemon. "What are you doing here?"
(An intruder?) Elder Latios shouted angrily, rising up and moving to stand in front of everyone. (What are you doing here, how did you get to our Island? You aren't with any of these Trainers who have our permission to be here!)
Mismagius' eyes merely shifted as she looked at each and every one in the meadow, before she responded with a smile. "Hehehe."She giggled. "Lots of Pokemon, more than two humans, difficult but not impossible!"
(What are you talking about, are you daring to challenge all of us?) He responded. (I do not know how you are here, but if you value your existence and peace of mind, you will answer my questions!)
Mismagius responded with yet more giggling. "Two Three one, twenty three is number one, something sleepy this way comes!" She said, before her eyes glowed.
(What in the…) The elder Latios started saying, before he became sleepy and fell to the ground.
"Hey what's going… on…?" Karen said as she slid down the tree, but she too wobbled and fell to the ground as well.
All around the field Pokemon, Latios, Latias, Jessy, and both hers and Karen's teams were suddenly collapsing to the ground, snoring loudly.
Jacob looked around, expecting himself and Harold to once again be the only ones who were not affected, but no, his entire team were awake and looking around in confusion.
(Jacob, this is that Mismagius, the one that keeps taking you to see that girl?) Sara asked him, standing in front with Harold to protect him from her Paralyzing eyes.
"Yea, but why is she here, and how did she get here?" He said out loud.
Meanwhile the Mismagius was smiling, but she was slightly panting as she looked at him and his team. "Got them all, good yes?" She asked him. "Not easy, no it wasn't, over twenty Pokemon and two humans in one go, not easy to do, not easy at all."
"Why did you do it?" Jacob asked. "What is it with you and that girl, why do you keep bringing me to her, and how do you know her?"
Mismagius smiled again and floated closer to Jacob, not threateningly but with the intent to talk to him. "Necessary." She said. "It was necessary."
"Why was it necessary, what do you want?" He asked it as it started circling Jacob, not caring that his team was forming a living shield around him.
"Have to teach you, had to teach you. Must take you to her, my job, nothing more!" She said, still smiling confidently as she continued to circle him. "You follow me this time, yes? No making me work harder, please, yes maybe?"
"Why do you want me to follow you so badly?" He asked still. "Is this another of your illusions, am I really awake or am I under another of your illusions."
"Learned about that, yes you did, not this time, can't this time." Mismagius said, and this time he could hear the truth in her words. "Too tired, harder and harder with big group. Can't make illusions and put more to sleep. Herd too strong and too many, your teams too large and too many, I'm just one and not that young."
Jacob noticed this now, up close she was indeed slightly different than her Pokedex picture dictated. The large 'hat' that encompassed most of her head was a slightly darker shade of purple, and her eyes while yellow and orange showed signs of gray in them. Arky never discussed much about Ghost Pokemon or how they aged, but he did tell Jacob that one common trait in all Ghost Types were their eyes. You could tell by their eyes their age, if they were old then they all had a grey coloration in them. It wouldn't be noticeable to the normal eye, unless you were actively looking for it.
She was indeed an old Pokemon, probably older than elder Latios.
"Okay, I can tell your telling the truth." He said, but looked around at all of the Eon Pokemon, to his friends and their teams, all of whom were asleep. "But why me, why only my team, what is it about me and my team that makes us different from the others?" Mismagius in response to that question, glanced down at Jacob's hand, more specifically the Mega Bracelet that he was minutes ago about to put on. "The Keystone, that's what this is about?"
Mismagius nodded, and smiled more weakly this time. "All because of that, must teach you, not ready to use it you are!" She said. "Not ready, but soon you will, must teach you or else…" Her voice faded slightly as she suddenly fell a few feet before she caught herself. "No time, must go now. Come, we go this way!"
At this Mismagius started floating away, as if completely unaware at her momentary exhaustion. Jacob, bewildered at this Mismagius' way of talking and train of thoughts, didn't know how to respond. He looked to his team, all of whom were just as confused as him, only Harold still kept his defensive stance, unwilling to drop his guard.
Mismagius however, continued to float away, looking back and beckoning him to follow her. "Come, all of you, come!"
(I say we go Jacob, we won't learn anything by staying here.) Sara said confidently, mirroring his own thoughts with her voice.
Jacob nodded and followed after Mismagius, with Sara and Harold directly beside him, and the rest of his team following behind.
They walked for quite a distance, following the Mismagius as she continued to float this way and that way, leading them through the heavily wooded area of Southern Island, where he and his friends hadn't visited or explored. Only the Eon Pokemon ever went this far, this deep into the center of the Island.
As they approached a strand of trees which seemed to cave in on them, forming a natural tunnel, Jacob looked and saw a huge open area in front of them.
Mismagius turned and stopped, before beckoning Jacob to go further in. "Go, not my place, only you." She said simply. "I'm just the guide, not the guest, little Missy knows her favorite place!"
"Before I go I have a question, the last time I asked that girl about you, she said she never owned a Mismagius." He said to her. "Do you know who she is, and why does she wear that mask?"
Mismagius however, merely shook her head and replied, but mostly to herself and not really him. "Know her, do I know her, I know her! I think we know her, do we know her? Not sure, are we sure, positively unsure about being sure…" Before floating away, still talking to herself. "Know her, not sure, but she knows me. Does she now? Are we positive? She can't know us, never see her… but we talk to her. Do we talk to her? Yes, no… maybe? Perhaps no but likely yes as well as a little bit of possibly so…"
As she vanished behind a tree, Jacob, Sara, and apparently his entire team were all thinking the same thing. *What was that all about?*
With no more reason to follow after her, Jacob led his team through the tunnel of trees, and into probably the most beautiful place he had ever seen.
'Wow…" Jacob said, and all around his team were all thinking or saying the same thing.
What the tunnel had led to could only be described as a small piece of Eden. They were in what appeared to be an underground cave that was completely open to the sky above them. In front and around there were glistening waterfalls which continuously poured water into a crystal, if almost ethereal pool below them. Above the pool was a small plateau that was thirty feet wide, leaving plenty of room on all sides to admire the beauty of the place.
In the center of the plateau was a small stone object that stood up to his chest height. The stone object looked like it had a depression in it, as though something was supposed to be placed there. Yet as he looked around, he saw that there was nothing but the stone object, the plateau and the trickling water.
"I don't get it… why did she lead us here?" Jacob asked as he took a few steps forward.
(I don't know either… but this place… feels strange.) Sara said as she and the others moved with him, admiring the beauty and serenity of where they were. (I feel… as if something… I can't explain it but something isn't here that should be here.)
"I know, but what is this place." Jacob asked as he was just a few feet from the stone object.
A moment of silence followed what he said, before another, more familiar voice that he only heard twice before replied. "This is the sanctuary of Southern Island, the most sacred place in almost all of Hoenn."
-Please listen to Zinnia's Sorrow Theme to get the full effect of this scene-
Jacob and his team looked around to see, once again the mysterious girl, wearing her mask and clothes that she wore the last time, looking at him and the scenery around them. "You… how did you get here?" He asked.
She didn't respond, only walked forward, ignoring the Pokemon staring at her with suspicious glances. She then walked past Jacob and stood in front of the stone object, before placing a gloved hand on it.
"It's been so long… since I've been here." She said sadly. "How many years… since I've heard the line that made me believe. Times have changed yet this place remains the same, a treasure for generations to enjoy, but a place that lives on in the hearts of all. Though I will never again see this place with my own eyes, forever will I treasure it in the deepest places of my heart..."
The girl took a deep breath and simply stared at the place around them. *Sara I know I don't normally ask this but…* Jacob thought to Sara, but already she knew what he wanted.
(I can't sense her Jacob, I don't understand it but it's like… she's there but also 'not' there.) She whispered back. (I can feel her, she's definitely there… but when I try to touch her mind something blocks me… and I can't focus on her. I don't understand it...)
The girl meanwhile continued to look around, taking in the scenery before she turned to look at Jacob. "Tell me Trainer, do you know what this place is?" She asked him. "No, of course you don't… not yet anyway, but you will learn soon of how important this place is. To both the Eon Pokemon, and you."
"What do you mean?" Jacob asked.
Once more the girl was silent as she held her hands out, inviting him to look around. "This place is a sacred place in which only a select few of the Eon Pokemon enter. It is also the one place where even fewer humans who have visited this island ever venture to, because of how secret it is and sacred it is. For you though, it is the place where you will succeed or fail in the third of your trials."
"My trials, you mean the tests you've had me and Harold go through." He asked, to which she nodded. "Why are you having me do them, why do you need me to prove I can handle this Keystone?"
"Because you are still unworthy of it in my eyes." She said, walking up to him. "You carry the Keystone now but you still do not wear it with the same pride that your rival does."
When she was close enough, she grabbed the Keystone away from him before he could react fast enough, then turned and walked back to the stone. "Hey!" Jacob shouted, but all the girl did was walk and place the Keystone on the stone object.
"As long as I have strength, you will not claim this Keystone until I decide to relinquish it." She said, turning to face him and block his view of the stone. "Now you have two choices, accept my challenge and face my third trial, or leave and let another challenge me for it."
At this a series of growls and snarls arose from some of his team, and he realized that he didn't have to obey those two choices. Before she had her Blaziken and it was just him and Harold. Now however he had his entire team there, and he could easily take on her Blaziken. "Or I could just demand you give it back." He said.
At this the girl raised her hands as if surrendering. "Indeed you could, you have power that I do not at the moment Trainer." She said. "So that is another choice, but tell me… will you really use your power to force a defenseless girl to heed your demands?"
At this he paused, and looked over her before he realized that she was right, she had no Pokemon at her belt. She was defenseless, utterly at his and his team's mercy. Even his weakest member, Kenna, could force this girl to obey whatever Jacob wanted her to do.
"Tell me Trainer, will you do it, use your Pokemon to force another human to obey you? That is something that they would not expect of you. Yet I can see it in their eyes, they will obey you if you but give them the word to force me to my knees. They believe in you, and trust you, if you ask it of them they will take back your precious stone and give it to you without hesitation. But are you sure it is what you want to do, is that what kind of trainer you are? Kind and gentle in all things that are fair to you, but greedy and cruel when things that are yours are taken from you?"
Jacob looked at his team, and indeed what she said was right. They all looked angrily at the girl, and Harold was about ready to jump at her to retrieve the stolen Keystone. Jacob wanted it back, not only because Arky asked him to care and hold onto it, but because he felt that it was rightly his. Yet he didn't want to take it this way, it was precisely what he and Arky despised most about Trainers, particularly those who abuse the power of the Pokemon they have for their own goals.
(Just say it Jacob, we don't have to listen to her anymore!) Sara whispered to him. (It means too much, I know you don't want to make us attack her, but we can just simply take it back without harming her! Just give the word and I can levitate that Keystone back to us without even needing to harm her.)
"No…" Jacob whispered. "Just leave her."
"Grovyle?" Harold asked in bewilderment.
"That's precisely what her test is, isn't it?" He asked the girl. "To see if I resist that temptation, that's your trial right?"
The girl shook her head. "No, my trial is this, I want you to help bridge the gap between you and your companions. Those who spend their days with you, and put their trust in you with their lives."
"What?" Jacob said, thoroughly confused.
At his question she looked at her belt, and pretended to grip a Pokeball in one hand, before continuing to pretend toss the invisible ball into the air. "Trainers spend their days with Pokemon, most of the time it is in battle, but during times of peace and calm, they are together in close proximity when emotions and tensions are at their softest. Despite the bond between the two, no trust can truly exist if one keep secrets from the other. Thus the seeds of doubt and suspicion grow into the tree of mistrust."
She continued to pretend toss while she spoke, before she looked at his team one at a time. "Tell me those who call this Trainer their master, friend, and companion, can you truly trust this one if he refuses to share his greatest fears and worry with you all. He expects you to battle for him, and you in turn expect to be cared for and nurtured by him. Protected from those dangers you fear in the natural environments your kind exist in, and you give him your complete trust and faith, sharing all that you know and are with him."
Then she looked at Jacob, before she stopped pretending to toss the fake Pokeball around. "Yet can you trust him, when he keeps secrets from you all? He pretends to bond with you all but refuses to share those deepest secrets that haunt him when none of you notice. How can one bond with another when they are not truly in sync."
At this all of his team looked at him in confusion, though Sara and Harold ignored this and instead looked ashamed at themselves. "What are you talking about?" He asked nervously.
She only looked at him before pretending to return the invisible Pokeball to her belt, before she held hands behind her back. "Tell me Trainer, the vision of the fire, the sting of loss and the belief of failure that I can see from even here behind this mask." She said to him calmly. "Unbecoming of a Trainer, to feel such emotions when they have such power at their command, a fool who bottles these feelings does not deserve the power they have in the palm of their hand. Yet you continue to hide behind those walls that you've built up, and despite the care your companions have for you, you still do not reveal this to them."
"I just… don't like to talk about it." Jacob replied, not knowing how she could know about that incident. "How do you even know about that?"
At this the girl resumed pretending to throw an invisible Pokeball into the air, as if she didn't have a care in the world. "The choice is yours Trainer, shed the fear that binds you to the past, or keep ahold of it and let those who obey you without question know that you do not trust them with what drives you onward. The options still remain, pass my trial, leave here and this Keystone behind, or take it by force. Only you can decide." With that, she became silent and ignored Jacob and his team, continuing instead to pretend to toss the invisible Pokeball in her hand.
Jacob turned to his team and looked at them all, and he could tell that they wanted to hear this story. Yet he could also see in each of their eyes, with exception to Sara and Harold that they didn't want to force him to tell them. He too didn't want to explain, they didn't need to hear about his mother, his fear that he had failed her, that because he was so weak back then he blamed himself.
Only when Coral made her way around him and looked at him with worried eyes did she talk to him. "Milotic?" She said, which Sara unconsciously translated for him. "Jacob?"
"Yes Coral?" He asked her, guessing what was coming.
"Milo… tic?" She asked again, using one of her head fins to lift his face up to look at them all. "Can you… tell us please?"
He looked at them all, Kenan, Kora, Coral, Ivan, Roran, and even Harold and Sara, all looking at him with worried eyes. He knew they wanted to know, but they didn't want to force him, and they wouldn't force him. They trusted him, and it was as the girl said, it was his decision. Only he could make it, and whatever he chose they would obey.
No matter how right, wrong, or correct his decision was.
"Alright guys, gather around and take a seat, this is going to take a while." He said, heeding his own advice and sitting down on the soft grass.
As one they all started sitting or taking a position so they could listen to his story. Sara chose to sit in his lap while Coral wrapped her elongated body around him. Once they were all settled in, he began to explain to them all what happened to him three years ago.
"Before I met any of you, over three years ago, I was on my way to my lessons with my teacher Arky." He said, deciding to cut to the chase about what happened. "I wanted to become a Trainer because, I just wanted to learn more about Pokemon in general, I always wanted to see how they lived what they ate, everything about them. Arky gave me the chance to learn from him for free, and he was the best teacher I ever had or would have. Back then I only had my mother, and we didn't have a lot of money."
As he began to explain about his mother, he told them all of what she was like, her personality, what she did, how they got by each day, everything. As he told them, he felt tears welling up behind his eyes, threatening to break as he realized just how much he had forgotten about his mother since beginning his journey. He never thought about it before, but the memories flooded back into him.
"On that day when I was walking to where Arky and I had our lessons, a group of bikers started riding towards town directly on the path I was walking. I later learned that they were Snagem members, and they were going to steal as many Pokemon from the few Trainers that remained in Littleroot. But their fighting got out of control, and soon… the town began catching fire."
At this, all of his team began to get saddened and realized now why he didn't like or want to talk about it.
"Then I became afraid, I ran home to try and find my mother but… when I got there, there was this Snagem guy with a Typhlosion. He had set my home on fire, and told his Pokemon to attack me like he did my mother. I was afraid, but I ran away. I was saved by some wild Pokemon who came to the aid of my town, and eventually they and the Trainers chased off Snagem. Yet… when it was all said and done, one person died when nobody should have."
At this he started crying, and his tears caused Sara to start crying, unable and unwilling to sever the psychic link they shared to spare her the emotions. "My mother died, and I was left alone." He said sadly, causing his team to share the same sadness he felt. "She was all I had, the only family I had before, and in one instant she was gone, and I had nobody left to take care of me. Then I had to learn to take care of myself, Arky told me I should have had her watching over me until I was old enough to walk on my own. But when she died, I had to walk before I was ready, at least in his own words."
"Even though it's been years… I still miss her, and wish that I had been stronger back then." He said. "I was weak back then, I didn't have any Pokemon to help me protect her. If I had you guys back then, she might be alive now… and that's why I keep thinking… that if maybe I had become a Trainer sooner!"
With that final declaration he stopped, there was nothing more to admit, he had told his team all there was to be said.
Then, Coral lifted up his head with her colorful tail, and smiled at him while still showing tears of sadness. He didn't need Sara to translate for him, he knew Coral was saying thank you, and that she trusted him still. All around, his team were nodding in understanding, each saying not with words but with their eyes that they thanked him for sharing his story.
Then the sound of hands clapping occurred behind him. "Well done Trainer, you have opened the bond between you and your team." The girl said with a smile. "Simply by sharing your fears you have bridged the gap between you and them even further than you realize it. You have three more trials before you will be ready. Remember though, that a bond once forged cannot be easily broken, but with the right words from those around it can be twisted and bent into a shape you might not like. Trust is what strengthens and hardens it, and only when both Trainer and Pokemon truly trust one another, can that bond withstand the tests of time. Trust in each other, and nothing will shatter this bond you have forged."
Then, behind her a pair of purple lights appeared, and suddenly Jacob felt sleepy. He tried to stay awake but his strength left him as soon as he tried. "When you are ready to proceed, we will meet again, Trainer." She said as everything went dark.
=Some Time Later=
(Wake up!) A female voice shouted, causing Jacob to wake up suddenly.
"Huh, where, where am I?" He said as his eyes snapped open to see Latias floating over him with her father.
(Where you are is easy, this is the resting place of the Soul Dew, where we used to hold it for protection.) The elder Latios said. (How you got here, is something you'll have to discuss with me another time.)
"Wait, the girl, where did she…" Jacob asked as he looked around to see that, yet again the Mysterious girl was nowhere to be seen. "Where did she go?"
(If you are referring to the Mismagius, I have had the herd scour the entire island, and we have not seen her nor sensed her. It is as though she left the island without us ever noticing.)
"No, there was another person, a human girl, she was here and now she's not here anymore." Jacob said as his team was starting to wake up as well.
At this Latias shook her head. (There aren't and weren't any other humans here on the island Jacob.) She said worriedly. (The herd is always sensing for danger, and especially humans. We only sensed three humans and you and your friends are the only ones here. We haven't sensed any other humans since you arrived.)
"Impossible… she was here she was physically right here!" He said in disbelief. "Was she…?"
(Jacob, look at that!) Sara whispered as she noticed something, by the stone object, where his Mega Bracelet was still sitting.
Jacob got up and investigated the object she was looking at, and noticed a small piece of hardened paper that was oranged with age, the ink on it all but faded, and a blurry image of what appeared to be a boat on it. In the center of the small paper.
Written on the paper were a series of words, with a faded arrow pointing from one pair of words to another. At the top of the paper, were the words 'Eon Ticket', and below that the words 'Lillycove City' with the arrow pointing away from it to the words 'Southern Island'. Beneath it was some sort of inscription that was incomprehensible and unreadable, but looked like coordinates for something, or even a barcode if he concentrated on it hard enough. In the center of the 'ticket' were two large letters, 'S.S.', but the rest of it was faded.
Elder Latios noticed what Jacob was holding and flew over to see what he had. (An Eon Ticket… I haven't seen this ever.) He replied in astonishment. (How does this ticket exist, I've never heard of a ticket that guided humans to our island.)
"I think it was only meant for one person." Jacob said calmly as he turned over the ticket to see the phrase 'One Passenger Only' printed on the back. "I think whoever came here with this ticket left it here."
Latios nodded in understanding and looked at Jacob with a questioning eye. (My mate did say that whatever is ours, is yours. If you want this ticket, you may keep it. We have no need of it.) He said. (If you take it though, you must not let others have it.)
"No, I'm not keeping it." Jacob said, replacing the ticket on the ground and putting a rock over it to keep it from going anywhere. "This ticket is useless anyways now, the coordinates for your Island are faded away, and whoever used it before left it behind so it couldn't be used again. If this belongs to whoever that girl I talked about before, then it clearly has no reason to be anywhere else now. Whoever owned it before had no intention of betraying your island, so they left it here to keep the secret a secret. I say let this ticket stay here, it's from another time when Trainers were fewer."
Elder Latios nodded in understanding and looked at the spot where the ticket was buried. (Very well, I shall inform the herd of this ticket, and instruct them to leave it as is.) He said respectfully. (Perhaps it is best that some things remain where they were left. May whoever owned that ticket before be one whom we trusted, for if they did leave it here to protect our secret, then they are truly worthy of being on this island again.)
Jacob nodded and left with the Eon Pokemon and his team, leaving behind a relic from someone who only had been permitted one trip.
Someone he hoped, deserved another visit to an island that was close to paradise.