(?'s PoV, Location, Collapsed Chamber of Mt. Pyre)
She stared at her surroundings, nothing having changed since she last saw it. Yet at the same time, so very different than how she remembered it.
"He's coming… I can tell… he draws closer." She whispered, peering through the world behind her mask. "When he does… what will become of me… as my purpose draws to an end?"
She looked down at the Pokeballs on the floor in front of her, all six of them dirtied and scratched, bearing the marks of overuse.
"Who I wanted to become… and who I became… we are as different as the night is to the day…" She whispered as several Shuppets began surrounding her, along with a Banette wearing a Mega Stone. "If I let them go free… would they still be a part of me? Would our bond… survive through that phase? Would we be together, even after we separate?"
At her question the Shuppets merely frowned, unable to answer her question, and her Banette merely shrugged its shoulders.
"I tried to preserve it for as long as I could… but I can't bind them to me forever…" She said fearfully, before collapsing to her knees from weakness.
She cared so much for her team, she would do anything for them, but the most important and dangerous lesson she has ever learned, was learning to let go of that which you loved. Even the greatest of Trainers must eventually let go of the Pokemon that they command, for they are only called so because they command them. When their lives as Trainers end, so too must their lives together.
It was an inevitable, and undeniably painful lesson, every beginning to a journey must have an ending to it.
"The way will be open soon, and I know that the path is one that I will walk alone…" She said fearfully, afraid of losing her team that she has relied on for so much, yet she had to be strong so that they would not lose heart. "I will never be myself again, after that much of a loss to me… but with my final act I will let them free." She looked up at the Shuppets, and more importantly, her Banette, who smiled proudly as it held her chin up. "They will be free… to live the life, which I took away from them… by binding them to me!"
Her Banette nodded in understanding, still smiling proudly. "But at the same time… when they disappear from me… and I no longer have that which defines me… I will disappear as a Trainer to this world." She said fearfully. "I don't want to fade away, to lose who I am… who I am is who I became… even though it's not who I wanted to become back in those days!"
She took off her mask, and for the first time in so long, she began crying… yet her tears began vanishing the moment they left her eyes. "I tried to bind them to me… so that we could never be apart again… but I can't ignore the call that reaches for me… soon I will end that which defines my life!" She wept, and her Banette's smile only grew wider as she became prouder after taking her mask off. "I don't to disappear from this world… I want to go back… to turn the page on my adventure… I want it to keep going…"
Yet her tears were only met with her Banette's wide grin, as it nodded in understanding, before placing her mask back on. "It's been so long… since I've seen my face… I've forgotten who I was back then, and thus I've lost all the grace I once had." She said calmly before standing up. "Who we wish to become and who we end up being are two sides of a coin that will never see one another's faces." She turned to the Shuppets and raised her proud hand to them. "My time is coming soon… so leave me be all of you! I will answer the call that destiny shouts with the pride and joy that my station gives me!"
At her command the Shuppets all nodded and floated away, leaving her alone with her Banette. She looked down at her Banette and it smiled proudly back at her, before floating in the air to stand at her eye level. "But now I'm forced to say goodbye to my only remaining friend… a thousand days too soon… that I wish it weren't the end." She said warmly, as it nodded and began to leave her be, to await the arrival of the Trainer and his team. "Goodbye my only friend… I know that this will be the end of our journey… oh how I wish I could go back…"
She looked around the empty room, full of rubble and rocks, with moonlight shining down into it from the hole above. "I don't want to go on…" She whispered sadly again. "I don't want it to end… I don't want… to fade away…"
=Chapter 45, Missy's Final Call, the Fifth of Six=
*Jacob to Arky*
*We're almost to Mt. Pyre Arky, to see what it is that mysterious girl who has been teaching me about the bond between me and my Pokemon has.*
*I also owe you an apology, I completely forgot about my backpack in that fight with that weird Shadow Pokemon, a Magneton I believe it was called. We found the backpack lying in a nest of Linoones nearby, and after a short but difficult battle with them, we recovered my bag before they could fish anything out of it.*
*I promise I'll take better care of it, though how did my bag get there in the first place? It was at least a good half a mile away from where I thought it had rolled away. Guess the Linoones must have snuck it away while we were busy.*
*In order to reach Mt. Pyre, we need to cross the massive lake, which surrounds the mountain and goes out to the ocean.*
*Unfortunately for us to cross it, we need a water type Pokemon, and we only have one water type with us that is willing to let all of us ride her and take us across…*
(Jacob's PoV)
"Wow, it's so large!" Jacob said as Coral swam slowly through the water, her head on the same level as him and Sara who he was holding onto. "We never got as close to Mt. Chimney as we are here!"
(How can something so large exist?) Sara asked in amazement as she stared up in awe as well at the mountain before them.
"We can sightsee later, how about you telling Coral to pick herself up for us back here!" Karen complained behind him.
Jacob looked back at Karen as she struggled to keep her backpack out of the water while hanging onto Coral's serpentine body with just her legs, but her legs were beneath the water. Behind her Segan was also having to keep his backpack and everything else in his arms, but he had help with Glace floating next to him and helping him hold everything, and he was chest deep.
"I'm sorry Karen, but Coral says she's straining herself enough as is with just carrying all of us, let alone everything we're carrying, without her sinking any further!" Jacob said back to her.
"How come you get to be knee deep in water while Segan and I have to wear our swimsuits?" She complained bitterly as water splashed her face, and it was true, she and Segan were wearing swimsuits. "And how come Latias only has to carry your backpack?"
(Because she's not my master… and she's rude!) Latias said privately to Jacob as she flew over him, smiling as she had his backpack strapped to her back. (Honestly, she needs to learn to do things herself, I may be 'your' Pokemon master, but that doesn't mean I'll do anything you humans ask!)
"Milotiiiic, Milotic Milo!" Coral said back, smiling happily at Jacob before turning back to swim. "I'm the swimmer, so I decide the seating order!"
Since Coral was the only team member between his and Karen's team that could swim, not counting Latias' ability to fly, or Suicune's ability to run on water, it was her they had to rely on to cross the water and reach Mt. Pyre. Suicune outright refused to let anyone but Jacob and Sara on her back for such a 'lowly task', and Latias could only carry one of them without carrying anything else, and Coral refused to transport anyone else unless Jacob was with her.
"Well find your own swimming Pokemon Karen, then we won't have this trouble!" Segan said with a laugh, before it was stifled by water.
"My badges for a Lapras!" Karen complained as Coral swam onward.
Ten minutes later Coral reached the island that Mt. Pyre was situated on, and everyone disembarked onto dry land. While Jacob rolled his pants down after drying himself, Karen and Segan went off to find private spots to change back into regular clothing, leaving him and his team to look at the mountain that was Mt. Pyre.
"It feels… wrong here…" Jacob said as he looked up at the mountain, and felt the wind blowing around them. "I don't know why but something is really off about this place."
(It feels… really dark here Jacob.) Sara said in agreement, holding his pants leg nervously. (I don't like it… it feels really dreadful…)
"Milotic?" Coral said curiously. "I don't feel anything."
(Probably cause you're not psychic like me and Sara… but yea I feel it too.) Latias said after Sara translated what Coral said for Jacob. (Something awful has happened here.)
"Segan said this place 'was' a huge cemetery, and he did explain that there were a lot of ghost type Pokemon who resided here." Jacob said as he eyed the mountain, wondering what else it held within its vast landscape.
Deciding to let everyone out and stretch, he took the rest of his team's Pokeballs and released them out to look around. Harold yawned and crawled on all fours as he stared up at the mountain with Ivan and Roran, while Kenna neighed happily and got Jacob to pet her.
"So this is where we learn our last two lessons from that weird girl…" Jacob commented as they all looked up with him at the mountain.
"Sceptile…" Harold said. "Indeed…"
"Grwar!" Ivan barked. "You will succeed!"
"Swellow!" Roran chirped. "Nothing to it!"
"Pfftb?" Kenna neighed nervously. "Do I have to go up there?"
"We're all going up there." He said, but he too was intimidated by the size and dark feeling that Mt. Pyre was giving off.
It was known as a large cemetery of Pokemon and people, and at one time housed the legendary Red and Blue Orbs of Hoenn's mythology. Yet without the two Orbs there, the mountain no longer had any other value besides just a large graveyard.
"So, where are we headed to meet this girl?" Karen asked as she and Segan approached from behind, now properly clothed. "Also how come girls always come to you Jacob, I can hardly get a boy to hang around me for five minutes."
"I wonder why." Segan asked quietly.
"What was that buster?" She snapped angrily.
"Nothing… but the entrance is actually quite close by." Segan replied before taking the lead with Glace. "In fact it's right there!"
Jacob looked forward and saw, toward the base of the mountain, directly in front of them, was a large opening to what looked like a cave.
"That's weird…" Jacob said as he looked around after seeing the entrance, stepping in front of Segan with his team. "That girl said to be here near the base where the entrance to Mt. Pyre is… so where is…"
"Hehehehe…" A mischievous giggle cackled loudly.
"Why am I not surprised?" Jacob asked as they all heard the cackling giggle of Missy the Mismagius coming from in front of them.
(Does she have to do that?) Sara asked as their unseen follower continued to giggle, as if everything in the world were just one giant joke to her.
"Hehehe hahaha hehahe hahahaha!" The giggle continued as they looked around. "Hohohoh hehehehe hahaha heeheheh… hehe… he… he…"
While everyone looked around, extremely creeped out by the giggling, only one Pokemon looked annoyed as she stared in front of them. Glace frowned as she floated forward before talking.
"Froslass las fross… fross froslass!" She called out. "Cease your foolish actions and reveal yourself mischief maker… do not waste our time by hiding yourself!"
There was silence before the giggling resumed, again as if everything were just a joke that only Missy knew the pun to. (As you wishy wishy, Missy shows herself to her house guests!) She declared in their minds, and moments later a Mismagius appeared directly in front of their path, right in front of the entrance to Mt. Pyre. (Hi there, did you miss Missy?) She asked, waving at them with a huge grin on her face.
"Not really, but hello anyway Missy." Jacob said. "So where's that girl, I figured she would be here to give me my next test like she said she would."
At those words, Missy began laughing again, giggling as if he had just told her a very funny joke, causing his team to growl and glare angrily at her for making fun of them. (Haha, oh you so funny, you no likey Missy?) She asked before floating over to them and look at him. (Silly Jacoby, Missy will be your final test…) She then turned around and looked up at the mountain. (Lady inside, waiting for you, but before you challenge her, Missy must test, yes test, test all the things! Things that you've learned, things that you know, testy testy testing, that is what Missy's job is!)
"I can see why you don't like her, I can't take how she talks… giving me a headache." Karen whispered behind Jacob's back.
"I don't think she's talking like that on purpose…" Segan said worriedly, causing Jacob to look at him.
Segan and Glace were looking at the Mismagius with looks of worry on their faces. "What's wrong?"
In response,Segan coughed loudly and spoke to Missy. "Missy was it… can I ask you a question really quick?"
Missy turned around and spun upside down, but smiled happily as she looked at him. (Asky asky, fifty two fifty, sixty questions from fifty two pickup!) She said.
"Yes… can you tell me, what is the definition of being 'sane'?" He asked politely.
(Being sane?) She asked, and suddenly she lost her giggly attitude entirely. (Being sane is… is… uh… being sane is…)
Jacob noticed as soon as she was asked that, she began to lose her entire attitude about the situation, starting first with her eyes and then her stuttering speech. Her eyes began shifting constantly, and her mouth became a frown while she looked this way and that way.
(Is… being sane… uh… purpose… no no, uh… being sane is… fifty… no is it… loopy?) She asked quietly as she began doing circles, completely ignoring them as she tried to answer the question. (To be sane… am I… we… no not we... me… but to be is not to be… so does that mean we should cry three? Would that to be… but is that so… why is a Murkrow like a Furfrou… to be is not to be?)
"I was afraid of that…" Segan whispered while Missy continued to spout nonsense. "You kept telling me that Missy the Mismagius is a little weird, but I didn't realize she was 'this' weird until we met her."
"What's wrong with Missy?" Karen asked as Glace looked sadly at Missy, full of pity as Missy continued to utter gibberish.
(Quicky mart of the flippy tart… Celadon with a yipper yon… no but does that mean that kingdom come is in yonder's farm?)
"Ghost Pokemon are a species of Pokemon that defy logic." Segan said quietly. "As such, the normal rules that define them don't make sense to us. They are both 'alive' yet not alive in the sense of us being alive."
"Froslass lass fross Fross fross lass…" Glace said quietly as Missy did a flip while still uttering nonsense. "Ghost Pokemon can outlive any living species by three lifespans…"
"And as they age, their 'minds' begin to slowly degrade unless they have help or something to focus their minds on." Segan continued for her. "It can get to the point, where some ghost Pokemon can suffer memory loss, or even mind degradation. One of the most common ways to find out how far, is to ask a ghost type to define something it itself is not."
(Frosslass… lass lass fross frosslass…) Glace said sadly. "By asking her to define if she is sane… she cannot define it because she is 'insane'…"
At that Jacob looked at Missy, and realized that the ghost was indeed to be pitied. Not only was she really old, but she was also insane. "Missy?" He asked tentatively.
At his voice she stopped contemplating and rambling and grinned at seeing him. (Enough talk, time for the test!) She giggled happily. (Challenge Missy now, use everything you know, yes? Beat Missy yes? If you do, upward you go!)
"Us fight you, are you sure about that?" Jacob asked as Sara felt worried about hurting the Mismagius.
Missy nodded gleefully as she looked at him and his team. (Strong you are… much stronger than when I first met you.) She floated over to Harold as he stood taller than Jacob, and smiled proudly at him. (Indeed… much stronger… closer as well… back then no match for me… but now you are maybe?)
"I think we might be…" He said as he smiled at Harold, who nodded back confidently.
(Goody… but not your starter… not him… must choose another!)
"Another, who do you want to face?" He asked now in confusion.
Missy grinned widely as she looked at each of Jacob's team, before grinning even more widely as her eyes came to rest on Sara. (Me?) She asked as she pointed to herself. (Why me?)
"Why do you want to face Sara Missy?" He asks.
(My own reasons… if you want to go up, must beat me together… that my test…) She said, before she floated up and looked at them all. (My lesson to teach, the fifth of your six, reliance on one to win battles, not the wisest of decisions. To bond with one but not equally with all, a foolish choice only the stupidest make. To make one powerful at the cost of the rest, only the weakest decide on while the smartest make strong with all…) she looked at them all and smiled warmly. (There is no I on a team, but if looked at carefully, you can find a 'we'…)
"Well Sara, what do you say?" He asks his little Kirlia friend.
(I've come this far with you Jacob, you know what my answer is!) She said with a confident smile. (Let's show Missy what we're made of!)
"Alright then, Sara will fight for me." He said as he and Sara looked at their opponent, and she nodded and floated back.
(Goody, let the battle begin!) She declared proudly. (No hold back, will not show you mercy, my task to test, but not go easy!)
"Alright…" He said, as his team backed up to give Sara and Missy space along with Karen, Segan and Glace. "Sara, let's start off with Calm Mind!"
Sara nodded back and held her hands together, focusing her mental powers to make them strong.
Missy, in response to Sara's move, began twirling her arms creating a ring of fire. "Mismagius!" She cried out loud, before flinging the ring of fire at Sara.
"Sara!" Jacob tried to warn but she couldn't dodge it in time, even as she felt his worry spike.
The flames wrapped around Sara and began striking at her body, and while he felt her pain through their psychic link, the flames themselves didn't seem to burn her body as much as the heat was telling her. After a few seconds the flames vanished and Sara regained her stance, albeit with a look of confusion on her face.
(I'm… alright!) She said as she looked back at Missy.
"Alright, then hit her with Magical Leaf!" He shouted.
Sara nodded and clasped her hands together, and several leaves rose and appeared around her, wrapped in a purple light that was her psychic powers. Then with a smile she pointed at Missy and they all sped toward her, yet despite the Calm Mind she had done to increase her powers, for some reason her attack seemed no more powerful, as Missy simply smiled and endured the attack.
"What the… how come nothing happened?" He said as Missy grinned before waving her arms and making several rocks appear, and all were launched at Sara.
This time however she reacted and twirled on her toes, as if dancing, and the rocks passed by her by a few inches.
"Try again, Calm Mind!"
Sara nodded and once more focused her powers, increasing her resistance to special attacks and increasing the power of her special attacks. Yet once again Missy countered by creating yet another ring of fire, before launching it at Sara, and once again it struck her, wrapped her for a second, before vanishing.
(Jacob… it's that attack!) Sara whispered as she regained her stance. (Every time she hits me with it, I feel my powers weaken.)
*So, she's doing it so we can't increase our own power?* He thought privately to her, and she agreed in his mind. *So we've got no choice but to attack, or else we'll never beat her.*
"Sara, Magical Leaf!" He said again.
She nodded and once more conjured up and summoned more leafs to attack Missy with, but once again Missy simply endured the strike, not even showing the slightest pain. She counter attacked again, creating those crystal rocks to strike at her, but Sara felt Jacob's worry and twirled between the rocks, avoiding them all.
*This is getting us nowhere Sara… with each attack we throw she endures, and every time we try to increase our strength…*
(She decreases it back, it is a problem Jacob…) She replied back as she stopped twirling and stood at the ready. (But we have to come up with a way to win…)
*So we use what we've learned… we use our bond!* He thought, and Sara nodded in understanding.
(Alright… then share your strength with me Jacob…) She whispered back to him, and he felt her through their link, beginning to draw power from their bond.
Yet just as she began to tap into his strength, he felt for just the slightest moment, something else, but that fleeting feeling vanished the instant he felt it.
(Sara's PoV)
Sara felt that collective pool of power inside her mind beginning to flow, just as Harold had showed her and told her it would. That pool felt massive, it was as if through their hearts were linked together, sharing their strengths.
*Harold… this feeling is beyond what you said it felt like for you...* She thought as she began to draw on that power for herself. *I can feel Jacob… coursing through me… I can feel Jacob's soul in tandem with my own… giving me strength that I cannot believe I ever had! Is this how you felt all those times?*
She could feel not only his feelings and thoughts through their link, but also his hopes, his dreams, his wishes and desires. Everything that made Jacob, 'Jacob', was gathered inside that pool, mixing with everything that made Sara, 'Sara', together their strengths combined and became even greater than what they were alone.
Every time Harold described what it was like during his lessons with Jacob with that girl, he always described their bond as something like a pool, a pool of energy that only seemed to become deeper with each door that opened. For Sara however, it was more than that, because she was a psychic type she could sense it differently compared to Harold, who was a pure grass type.
For her, feeling that pool meant she could truly feel it, it wasn't just a pool of energy, as before it was everything that was a part of Jacob's soul, his heart, everything. Feeling it's depths and feeling the power coursing through her body made it feel like she would explode if she didn't use it. Her senses became sharper, her powers enhanced twice of what she could manage alone, and even though she had only just tapped into it, there was still plenty more for her to use.
Now she knew why they needed to learn from this girl, they needed this power to defeat the Shadow Pokemon, without it, they were helpless.
"Alright Sara… use Magical Leaf once more!" Jacob said.
She nodded and concentrated on her attack, gathering the sharpest leaves around her and creating more when there were no more to be found. Wrapped her psychic powers she smiled and pointed straight at Missy, sending all of them cascading at her opponent.
Missy took the hit and this time she flinched in pain as they dealt a critical amount of damage to her ghost body. She frowned and suddenly performed a spin, vanishing out of sight.
"Where did she go?" Jacob asked as she looked around as well.
(I still sense her… she's still here Jacob!) Sara replied as she tried to figure out where she was going to appear.
Then, just as she felt Jacob's emotions tense up, she performed another pirouette and leapt back, avoiding Missy as she reappeared behind her. Missy frowned in frustration as her attack missed, before she vanished yet again.
*I barely felt his emotion for a fraction of a second, and yet I instantly avoided the attack… this power is amazing!* She thought as she held her pose and waited again.
Moments later she felt Jacob tense up again for just a split second, and that was all she needed before she spun and leapt back once more, smiling as she saw Missy once again frowning at being unable to hit her target.
"Sara, Magical Leaf once again!" Jacob said to her, and she nodded and went into her attack again.
She struck Missy hard once more with her attack, and now Missy shuddered in pain as she levitated in front of her. But then she cupped her hands together and began creating a large ball of energy and condensing it.
*Hyper Beam…* Sara thought as she saw the attack, recognizing it instantly with Jacob's thoughts.
Without even needing his advice, she ran off to the side so that Missy would aim for her and not anyone else by accident. Then just as Missy fired she pirouetted again, and spun out of the way without it even coming close to hitting her.
"Nicely done Sara!" Jacob shouted, making her gleam with pride at hearing Jacob compliment her.
Missy however was not smiling, instead she was gasping and levitating close to the ground while she recovered from her attack.
(It's time we finished off Missy Jacob!) She said proudly as she took aim.
"I couldn't agree more!" He replied back to her.
She used her powers again and prepared her Magical Leaf once more, truly enjoying her attack as she sent it against Missy who could nothing to stop her.
Yet Missy, though tired, hurt, and unable to counter attack or avoid the Magical Leaf from her, watched as Missy simply endured the hit. Then she glared again and levitated higher, and began charging up another Hyper Beam. Before Sara could dodge this one however, Missy fired it.
Remembering to make use of their bond, she tapped into the pool of strength, and drew on its reserves before she took the full brunt of the attack. The attack hurt like she had never imagined, the sheer raw energy hitting her body was more than she could imagine.
Yet despite the pain she was suffering, she dug in her feet and covered her face to absorb the attack, and after a few moments of pain, it ended, and she rose up to see Missy thoroughly exhausted.
*She can't go on…* She thought sadly as she realized that it was finished, Missy had thrown everything she could against her and Jacob, but it wasn't enough to overcome their combined strength.
"You did it Sara!" Jacob yelled happily, causing Sara to look at him and smile with pride.
"Well done!" Harold yelled.
"I knew you had it!" Ivan barked.
"Never a doubt!" Roran chirped.
"Alright!" Kenna neighed cheerfully.
(Now that was an amazing battle!) Latias said.
"I want to fight next time!" Coral called out.
Yet Sara's ears only listened to Jacob's voice, her 'trainer's' voice that she had come to enjoy and had grown attached to. Hearing his words of praise and seeing him smile, was all she needed to hear and see.
As she felt his heart and felt his emotions, she felt something spark inside of her, and suddenly…
Her body began to glow.
=Sara's Eternal Oath=
(Jacob's PoV)
"What the…" Jacob said as Sara's small body began glowing after the battle ended.
"She's evolving!" Karen said, stating the obvious.
"Well I'll be…" Segan said in wonder as everyone watched Sara grow from her two foot form, to five feet.
Her arms grew out, her tutu changed shape, and her legs elongated, and as the evolution ended, Jacob's eyes were now on the same level as Sara's.
"Gardevoir?" Sara said in normal speech, looking at her body with everyone else after the transformation ended.
Her tutu had changed to resemble a gown, and now covered her entire body from her chest down to her feet. Her legs themselves were white and extremely slender, and barely visible past the small opening in her gown. Her arms were also slender, but ended in hands almost similar to gloves but still not quite the same. Her chest now had a spike which poked out from the back and front. Her green hair had grown out and her ears now had points resembling a mask. And finally, her eyes were ruby red.
"Sara?" Jacob asked as she finished examining her body.
(Yes Jacob, it's me.) She replied in a far more mature voice, and with a respectful elegance that matched her new appearance. (I owe my evolution to 'you' Jacob… thank you.)
"Me?" He asked as Sara walked over to him, or at least 'appeared' to walk, but her legs never fully touched the ground.
(Yes… now that I have fully evolved I can understand so much more…) She said with a smile as she looked at him on his eye level. (My species can only achieve this evolution thanks to a powerful connection to our Trainers, or someone very important to us. I could not have achieved my evolution without you… and as such… I owe you everything.)
She gently took his hand and held it in her two hands before getting down on one of her knees and looking up at him with a caring smile. (My species, Gardevoir, is known for absolute loyalty and devotion, when we have a trainer or choose someone to bind ourselves to… we choose that someone for life.) She said, and through her psychic words, he could tell that this was a private message, only for him. (You have let me remain free and wild all my life with you, because of my fear of the Pokeballs which captured my parents, but now the time has come for me to end that fear. Jacob… accept my wish and let me forever be by your side as 'your' Pokemon, you need not capture me 'officially' unless you wish to, but know that no matter what, I will be by your side.) She closed her eyes and smiled still, but there was a hint of somberness in her tone. (Even if you refuse, know that unless you command me, I will still follow you. I will follow you as if I were your shadow, protecting you and keeping you safe. Because to me… you are precious, your mind and heart's touch warms my thoughts and makes me feel warm, and I wish to keep you safe so that I may feel safe. Only you may command me, no others will I obey unless you order me to… for you are my master… and so much more.)
She smiled up and looked deep into his eyes, making him blush with how 'warm' her own emotions felt to him through their link. (Will you accept my offer of loyalty?)
There was silence around as everyone stared at Jacob and Sara.
"Does anyone else feel like a marriage is taking place here?" Karen asked awkwardly.
"To an extent it is." Segan said. "Like your Lance, who evolves into Lucario, Gardevoir is a species renowned for loyalty. Once they find a master worthy of them or one that they trust above all others, they devote themselves entirely to that master. She will do anything he asks of her, without hesitation, in fact it is said that Gardevoir pick trainers based on their minds. The more trusting the person's mind, the healthier that Gardevoir will grow in mind and power, so they have a vested interest in keeping that person protected."
"Wow… and here I thought it was cause he's 'single'…" Karen muttered, but Jacob didn't hear her as he was still busy contemplating Sara's question.
*Are you sure?* He asked her privately in his thoughts.
(Yes… I've never been so sure of anything.) She said back to him, still privately and still with a smile. (Please accept my offer of loyalty… I offer it to you freely.)
He thought about her offer, and knew that he would really have to ask Arky, he had never once heard him talk about this in his lessons, and he didn't know how deep this 'loyalty' she was offering him went.
Would she truly do as she said she would, and follow him for the rest of her life?
Either way, he cared about Sara, she was his good friend, and he had no reason to refuse her. "Alright Sara, I accept your offer…" He said.
Sara nodded and stood up, smiling proudly as she bowed respectfully to him. (Then I will take my place by your side, as your Pokemon.) She said warmly. (Where to now… Jacob?)
(Well done… you've done it.) Missy said as she floated over to their group, getting everyone's attention. (Passed my final test… no more will you see of Missy… upward you go…) She said before looking up at the mountain. (To the seventh floor you go, she waits for you… the final challenge… succeed or fail… it's all up to you! Can't climb the stairs, damaged is this place… outside you must go, until you find the ruined floor… cannot miss it, like Missy the Mismagius!)
She turned to look at him and smiled proudly at him. (Answers you wanted before… answers now you'll get… from her though, not me, none I can give without her permission… climb to the top… be the very best… but alone you must journey, your team only allowed, no others can you take!) She said before looking at Karen and Segan. (His challenge, not yours… tis the meeting of fate, I cannot let you pass, this is his challenge that he must face.)
"What, come on?" Karen yelled. "We came all this way to check this place out with Jacob, and we can't see it with him?"
"Well if you insist… alright." Segan said with a sigh. "We'll camp down here until you come back down Jacob. So take care of yourself."
"Froslass!" Glace said with a cheerful smile.
"Alright guys… thanks." Jacob said as he looked to his team. "You ready to face this final test?" He asked his team as Missy flew away, vanishing into the entrance of Mt. Pyre.
As one, everyone nodded and began following behind him as he lead the way into the mountain, where high above him, the mysterious girl was waiting for him to challenge her. But as he walked besides Sara, who smiled warmly at him as she walked next to him, Harold who trotted along on all four clawed hands and feet, Ivan who padded along behind Harold with his teeth crackling electricity, Roran who short glided in front of him as they prepared to enter, Coral who slithered behind them at an easy pace, Latias who floated behind them with a confident smile, and Kenna who's hooves clopped behind as she stayed close to them.
He knew, that no matter what her test was, he was ready.
His team was there with him… and together, they would face any challenge there was.
(Viridian's PoV)
Viridian put the Devon Scopes on his eyes and examined the cemetery of Mt. Pyre, frowning as all he saw were Shuppets, countless Shuppets floating this way and that way.
He was running out of time, his organization needed a legendary unless they planned to use him, but he wanted to save that Pokemon until they had completed their work with the Shadowfication Process.
"To think it's come to this…" He complained as he looked around, trying to find out where she was. "She's got to be here 'somewhere'… this was where she was last seen."
He figured maybe she was on another level, and decided to investigate the next floor above.
"Where are you, Emerald…?"