Steven did not accompany them back to the mainland, deciding instead to take his Skarmory and (a) see if he could catch sight of Magma's or Aqua's trails, and (b) if not, continue straight to his next destination rather than going back to Route 118 first.
But before he left, he did teach them a bit about how Mega Evolution worked. He gifted Morgan a piece of Metagrossite to use when Mithril evolved, and upon seeing it Sera realized it resembled a 'good luck charm' she'd been carrying all along, which Steven identified as actually being a piece of Blazikenite. Also, apparently Kitsun picked up a piece of Alakazite somewhere? When did that happen? Gosh, look at all these Mega Stones coming out of the woodwork, as if some divine orchestrator of their fates had just decided to throw them in all at once rather than calling the trainers's attention to them earlier. Strange.
As Morgan and Sera prepared to leave, Sera asked, "So hey. Do you guys have names, like among your flock?"
I am called Sapphron, the Latios answered.
Latias was not so forthcoming. I… ah…
"Sup?" asked Morgan.
My name is… a little embarrassing to say to humans, she said.
Sister, your name is beautiful, said Sapphron.
It sounds like a human disease though… Apparently telepaths could mumble. Who knew? She sighed. It's Rubelle.
"Aww. Well I think it's pretty," said Sera.
"If you don't like it, why not change it?" asked Morgan. "You guys do stuff with light, right? What about something like… Theia, Faron, or Andraste?"
Sera blinked. "Don't you think it's a little strange to just casually rename a godde-"
I really like Andraste! the Latias exclaimed with a smile.
"Oh. All right, then."
As the trainers climbed aboard their new mounts and companions, Sapphron inquired as to whether or not they should Mega Evolve. Apparently, doing so would allow them to access more power and achieve greater speeds, but would leave them more tired after. Morgan insisted their day had been stressful enough and that a leisurely flight would be fast enough.
Sera was more concerned with the time, but could not say why. Showing Morgan had been the plan. But just telling her, especially after this incident- which Sera was very much questioning herself, having been told nothing of such an endeavor- did not seem wise. With no means of supporting her argument for fear of exposure, Morgan won out, and they set out atop their very normal Latias and Latios.
Every minute that passed was like needles driving into Sera's sense of awareness. She technically wasn't late just yet when they left the island, but it wasn't long after the clock struck time. They'd still most the flight to go. The Latis were some of the fastest creatures ever observed by humans. Certainly some Pokemon had quicker combat reflexes, but in terms of travel speed they made the Salamence she'd taken to Slateport feel like a Torkoal by comparison.
All the same, they weren't back yet, and once they landed, they still had to explain the Latis to the League, get them properly registered, and then she still had to make her way to the Weather Institute. Would Tabitha wait for her at all? And if so, for how long? Would he give up and leave, or… Surely he wouldn't do anything reckless… right?
Eugh, one way or another, he was bound to be pissed…
W-well… No reason she had to be anxious and bored, right? She had Sapphron fly close enough that she could talk to Morgan. "So hey~ How does it feel being friends with a Legendary Pokemon, eh?"
"Hm?" Morgan barely glanced her way. "Oh, uh. I guess it's probably pretty neat. I don't… really have the same kind of context that you do so I can't really form as solid of an opinion. They're not, like, Actual Gods the way some legends are, right? Or are they, like, demigods or something?"
I'm not sure I'd go that far… said Andraste.
You're too Modest, replied Sapphron. It is true that our kind are more numerous and less powerful than some Pokemon in existence. But we are guardians, lorekeepers, and messengers. Those things are not without merit, and there is nothing wrong with taking pride in our status.
Sera smiled brightly. "I'll say!"
"You would," muttered Morgan.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"... Okay. Well, anyway. I guess it's really hard to say for sure since so little is officially documented, but a lot of stories I've read suggest that there are more than one of quite a few species that are considered legendary. For instance, there are mixed reports on Entei, Raikou, and Suicune."
Morgan grimaced. "I see… I guess we can hope there's more than one each of those, so at least Magma and Aqua aren't killing off entire species."
Sera winced. "I don't think either of them are trying to hurt the beasts they're using?"
Morgan rolled her eyes. "Right. And I suppose that thing built into Entei's face was, what? A fashion accessory?"
… Fidget. "Wwwell," said Sera. "What if it's... a prosthetic? What if, say, Entei had been badly injured and Magma helped to save it?"
"Ugh… Right. They just saved a poor hurt demigod out of the goodness of their hearts, and Entei stuck around to thank its new friends by doing battle with its own siblings. That sounds likely."
O-okay, so it… was pretty strange that Entei was so willing to fight with both Suicune and Raikou. And for that matter, that the other two were at odds as well. Sera supposed on a personal level she felt inclined to believe Raikou was the one on the "right" side, if any of the three was. But she hadn't had a chance to talk to either of the others, and she didn't want to believe Magma would forcibly control Entei or that Tabitha would lie to her about Entei having been injured, and on top of that she still hadn't managed to figure out where she'd seen the emblem around Raikou's neck.
Subject change? Yes good. "I still can't believe you guys chose us over Steven, though. He was amazing."
Our choices were made based on heart, not skill, said Sapphron.
Sera chose to take that more to their credit than Steven's detriment. "Lucky us, huh?" she said. "I've seen him battle before, but it's so much different up close. … Well, different in more than the obvious way, heh. Given he hadn't come out yet back then."
Morgan gave her a sideglance. "I mean, it sounded like he's not really 'out' now, at least publically, but…"
"Right, true." He had asked her not to mention it. "That's a shame, though. I wonder why not?"
"...Literally any of countless equally valid reasons that he doesn't need to explain to anyone?"
Sera flinched slightly at that defensive tone. "Of course, I just mean- As skilled and powerful as he is-"
"He still has family capable of affecting him and other reasons that he doesn't feel like dealing with right now? You're right, I agree."
"I didn't- Where is this coming from?"
"Where is what?" asked Morgan. "He mentioned friends, it's not like he's isolating himself. He probably just doesn't want the entire region talking about it right now, and unlike some of us he actually has the option of privacy. So forgive me if it seems kind of shitty for you to weigh in on that decision."
"...O-okay, I see your point but…" Sera bit her lip. "That's… starting to sound a little personal?"
Morgan rubbed her head. "Can we drop it?"
"Y-yeah… Sorry, I guess. I didn't mean to hit a…. Sorry."
After some twenty seconds of silent tension, Sapphron asked, Ssso… What was the deal with the uniforms those teams were wearing, anyway? I haven't actively visited human lands in over ten years, but even I'm pretty sure those looked ridiculous.
Sera readily embraced the distraction and chuckled. "Yeah… Who knows? I mean, I get that Team Aqua likes the ocean, but pirates? They're literally thieves dressing like different thieves. It's like they're not even trying to pretend they're not Bad Guys, right?"
Morgan barked a thin laugh, rolling her eyes. "At least pirates are a sort of popular aesthetic in general. Even if that's only slightly better than Team We Are Literal Demons."
Sera pursed her lips. "... Yeah but. ...Red."
Morgan moved in such a way that Sera could tell she'd resisted facepalming. "Sera… No. Like it's my favorite color too, but. That really doesn't do much to salvage their look."
Well I do approve of the color choice, teased Andraste.
Afraid Aqua gets my vote there, Sapphron teased back.
"I dunno… I think the horns are kind of cute, actually…" Sera mumbled.
"You think everything is cute."
"I literally just got through saying I don't like Team Aqua's uniforms? Not… saying I like Magma's, or anything." At all. Nope. Courtney wasn't utterly precious and her outfit didn't make Sera want one. Not… at all. "I just, appreciate some of the aspects. Which happen to include the horns, and the color."
"Uh-huh." Oh no, could she tell? N-no, Sera was just being paranoid… "I suppose you want to trade Latis because mine is red, too, hm?"
"..."
"...Sera."
"I uh…"
"Sera I was joking."
"I wasn't going to say anything but maybe a little…"
And there was a facepalm proper.
Personally, I'd rather not, said Sapphron.
"O-oh! I mean, that- That was why I wasn't going to- It has nothing to do with you, as an individual, I just-..." She was allowed to be slightly jealous the Latias chose Morgan, right?
Well, I'm a little flattered, said Andraste with a small laugh. But… How do I say this…? I feel Morgan's... soul? calls to me more?
"Oh…" Sera averted her gaze, partially to avoid seeing Morgan suddenly looking somewhat smug.
But Sapphron chuckled. You weren't my consolation prize, you know. My sister and I simply seek out different things from our friends.
"Oh~" Well now she felt better. ...Although. "Are you sure you're all right with splitting up once we get to the mainland?"
Honestly, no. But should our fashion-challenged friends seek our Mega Stones again, better to not have both in one place, Sapphron answered. Once again, when the word 'friends' was used, Sera fought the urge to flinch. ...Hm? To her horror, she felt Sapphron touch her mind then, and felt a slew of incriminating memories rushing to the forefront. But to her relief, all he said in response was, Interesting. She also got the impression that word may or may not have been private between them.
...Sorry and thank you, Sera thought at him. Both as follow-up and a general statement, she said aloud, "It seems like Aqua might be the bigger threat in that regard, considering they seemed to have been the ones who came up with the idea."
Morgan sideeyed again. "Yyyeah, but Magma's so underhanded they don't even try to pretend they're not blatantly stealing plans."
Sera tried not to bristle. "I mean… For all we know, that was responsive. What if they were… trying to keep that power out of Aqua's hands?" She could hope.
"Aqua aren't the ones who tried to form a new Mega Stone at Mt. Chimney," Morgan noted. "Between the two, it seems like Magma are more obsessed with getting power."
"Okay, but Magma aren't the ones who kidnapped Cozmo and stole the Devon parts and attacked the lift stations."
"But they did try to kidnap that captain, so it's not like either record is clean. And at least Aqua is...trying to fight for the good of Pokemon, even if they have a weird way of doing it. Magma, meanwhile, is willing to send Pokemon to their deaths to create a diversion." Andraste gasped in horror, and Morgan muttered, "Yeah."
"At least Pokemon can be revived," Sera retorted. "Mura's injuries proved Aqua doesn't care if people get caught in the crossfire, and you should know how strongly in favor I am of Pokemon rights and human responsibility for their well-being, but that doesn't mean I support endangering humans in some ill-conceived attempt to… whatever it is they're even doing."
"You don't even know and you're going to act like Magma's land expansion idea is any less absurd. Unbelievable," Morgan muttered. "Are you seriously suggesting they're the lesser evil here when they almost killed you?"
"I-" She couldn't very well say 'most of them are pretty nice' or 'Maxie scared me less than dad does actually' so she opted for a deflective, "Like having had slightly better personal luck with them means Aqua's any better."
"I mean, a little? Archie is a dangerous nut but at least he's chill in person. Which is more than can be said for the equally dangerous but more volatile asshole who wanted to throw you in a volcano." After a beat, she added even more derisively, "I'd say 'like a virgin sacrifice' but. Ha."
Sera's face heated, but… pun. If the mood were lighter, she'd probably have legitimately appreciated the joke, so she could at least take it now, right? Forcing a laugh that probably still came out a bit uncomfortable, she replied, "Y-yeah, I guess that ship has sailed."
She'd have continued the sacrifice joke, but Morgan replied first with a biting, "And seems like it'll make port in just about any harbor."
Any hint of smile fell away. "Morgan, what the hell…" But actually? Why should she take this? Hurt transforming into spite, Sera snapped back, "At least one of us knows how to have fun in life."
"Yet you favor Magma, with its creepy-ass paramilatristic vibes. Good luck with that."
"I don't-" Was that too suspicious a denial? Instead she opted for, "I'm surprised you're not more creeped out by Aqua's total chaos. Can you even function without rules telling you what to do?"
"Bitch I broke the damn rules. Or did you forget already?"
"Did you really just-"
To the discomfort of their awkward mounts, the arguing continued until, at long last, they reached the mainland. Finally.
And of course, the slower flight back meant they'd been gone longer meant everyone was that much more worried about their absence meant it took that much longer to explain. To avoid mentioning Steven's involvement, said explanations also took a few embellishments on their end and a little downplaying of how much opposition they were up against. Sera wished they'd been rehearsing that instead of arguing the whole way back. Lying was one thing; lying on the spot, without a solid plan, was another. But fortunately, they managed.
Officials were both pleased and apprehensive about their new friends, and- of course- imposed the new rule that they could use the Latis to travel, but only to places they'd already been. No aimless exploring, and certainly no using them to speed through their charted route. The challenge still stood, after all.
By the time they were finally released to get back to their journey, it was very, very late.
Sera was exhausted, but if… If she could just see her initial plan through. On the off chance Tabitha waited. If she could just show Morgan maybe everything would be better. "Ssso, hey. I know we could probably set up camp, now, but do you wanna press on just a little farther?" she asked.
"Yes," said Morgan. And she began to head east.
"Ah… Hey, the next route is actually northeast, if you wanna-"
"I don't." Morgan kept walking.
"But why are you going-"
Morgan stopped and gave an exasperated sigh, but did not look back. "You know, for someone who is so damn proud of being a professor's kid, you can be impossibly dense. I'm going this way because I don't have the energy to put up with you any longer today."
Sera shrank back. "I… I mean there's… not a lot to do that way, and it's… an uphill climb to go the really long way to Fortree, but…"
"Then I'll head back up 119 tomorrow. For now. Me. Leaving. Bye." Morgan continued walking away.
"...Well. I… didn't wanna walk with you anyway!" Sera called flimsily. "...Morgan I'm lying, I really miss you and I'm really sorry, please come back." She didn't. Unsurprising, given Sera didn't say that part very loudly…
Sera sighed. With Morgan gone and Sapphron resting in his new Pokeball, she found herself alone now, and that simply couldn't stand. But at the same time, she suddenly felt less like talking than she could remember feeling for… months, at the very least.
So… Pelt it was, then.
The Pokemon on this side of Hoenn really did seem to be noticeably stronger. Too damn bad Morgan wouldn't be catching one yet, since she already fished for a Pokemon here back when.
That she'd Wonder Traded for Skitty.
Who Sera killed.
Before Morgan even settled on a name for her.
How was it even possible for someone to be so oblivious to everything, constantly? And the bigger mystery: how was Morgan ever, even briefly, actually attracted to someone so infuriating? She was almost completely certain at this point that she must have just been mirroring Sera's affection.
Her perpetual optimism was probably a little endearing for a while, but it had become pretty hard to deny that was just ignorance and naivete.
She could feel that Mithril agreed.
Cerberus probably would have too, if he were privy to the conversation, but Morgan didn't want to burden him by asking. He had enough to deal with lately, thanks to someone.
Morgan didn't really know where she was going, or know when she planned to stop, but despite the stronger opponents they fell like flies in her wake, and there was something distinctly therapeutic about that feeling right now.
Mithril evolving only filled her with that much more energy. Metang was fine, but Metagross oozed an aura of power and authority. Morgan may have had the League breathing down her neck, and Sera as a thorn in her side, but having such impressive Pokemon yielding to her commands let her feel like she had some control of her life. Knowing so few opponents could stand before them now helped her feel safer.
For tonight, she wouldn't venture beyond the boundary here, but with Mithril, she felt like she could.
Of course, xe couldn't have all the fun. Robit was another party member of the day, and finally evolved into Toxicroak. Excellent.
Morgan was vaguely aware she should start winding it down for the night just to avoid displeasing her superiors, but it wasn't like she was doing anything interesting. There were evolutions happening, but they didn't come by particularly notable means, so she figured it wouldn't hurt to keep going until she found good reason to stop or just got too tired.
Her reason eventually came in the form of a massive farm, not just overflowing with berries, but with many plots tilled already just waiting to be used. The local signs informed her this place was apparently a sort of give-and-take project, where travelers were encouraged to take part.
Looking to her bag filled with berries already, an idea started forming. Looking to Andraste's Pokeball, Morgan grinned.
She could definitely work with this…
Stupid Morgan, stupid Aqua, stupid- Okay so she couldn't say stupid Latis and Steven had proven pretty cool and she was happy to have a Key Stone now but-
Sera tripped and fell. Ugh, stupid-
Nothing?
The nothing hopped up and dusted itself off, and Sera caught sight of its zigzag stripe now. Right. "Pelt, you mind?"
Pelt quickly whittled down the Kecleon, and Sera was able to catch it to Wonder Trade for a Cherrim. Heh. Well, at least that was cute.
Getting held up by another Kecleon on 119 was not ideal, but that one was traded for a Chespin! Sera didn't know how soon she'd get around to using it, but she'd always been fond of Kalos starters.
The vegetation had rapidly become ultra dense, and- in true rainforest fashion- of course it had to also be raining.
Fortunately, with her capture out of the way, she didn't have to be too careful about other wild Pokemon, and a Mega Blaziken was more than sufficient for everything in the area. Even if she swore that as soon as he first Mega Evolved, so did his ego. Heh.
The rendezvous spot was empty, and, growing more frustrated, she pressed farther ahead. To her dismay, shortly after the Weather Institute came into view, so did a line of red. She recalled all her Pokemon, lest she provoke them into attacking her on sight where there was a chance they might not.
As she rushed to it, one of the grunts standing guard caught sight of her. "Well look who showed up," she mumbled.
"Think we should keep her out?" asked the other.
The first grunt scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Please. If she is here as an enemy we'd barely slow her down. I'm not getting paid enough for this, personally."
"Good point," said the second. Calling out more to her, he said, "Hey kid! Please don't go near the Weather Institute. It would be a shame if you made them stop taking their sweet-ass time so we could get out of standing in this rain."
Sera wanted to say something, but her Nav still floated alongside her. Their words may be suspicious enough; the best thing she could do was ignore them.
She made her way inside to see… a very standard lobby? A few things seemed out of place, but the receptionist stood calm, almost bored, at the front desk.
"...I… Is… everything all right here?" Sera asked.
"Mm?" the receptionist replied. Barely glancing at Sera, she went on, "There seems to be a disturbance on the second floor, I suppose."
"Uh… You seem awfully calm?"
"I'm a professional," sighed the woman, idly turning a magazine page. "It takes more than this to get me rattled."
"...O...kay." So upstairs Sera went then.
Judging by the sight that awaited her, Tabitha had, indeed, gone and done something stupid and reckless. Great…
"Just… What… is this…" he was all but hissing to himself. "D-d-did Leader Maxie know that it would happen like this?!" When one of the scientists on staff tried to recover the papers Tabitha was looking over, Tabitha quickly shifted gears, backhanding the man right across the face and sending him flying into a group of other possibly-hostages.
Sera cringed.
"All of you, shut up!" Going through his stack of papers again, he only grew more furious. "Just. what. is this?" He let out a frustrated scream and threw the papers down. "You! What other records do you have?"
"Th-that's it, I swear!" exclaimed a scientist.
Tabitha grabbed her by her coat and pulled her closer. "If you're lying to me I swear you will regret it."
"I-I'm not, I-" The woman spotted Sera, then. "Oh thank goodness, help us, please!"
Tabitha turned to face her, eyes wide, and quickly released the scientist. "How long have you been here," he seethed.
"N-not long…" Sera squeaked.
"How dare you show your face now. Do you have any earthly idea-" As Sera started to cower, he bit his tongue. Through his teeth, he urged, "I strongly suggest you step back in the hall."
Sera all but startled. "I can't just-?"
More tension under the surface, he urged again, "Sera. You don't want to be in here." Calling her by name shook her for a few reasons, not the least of which was-... He followed her gaze to her Nav. "I see how it is." He turned to a grunt. "B-7! Keep her out of my hair."
"Y-yes sir!" Sera put up little fight when the grunt "pushed" her back into the hall, aka gave her an excuse to leave.
As she left, she could hear him talking to himself again. "Leader Maxie, what are you trying to do? To the world, to us?" A loud sound made Sera flinch even before she heard him yell, "This can never, EVER be FORGIVEN!"
"I'll… teach you to mess with Team Magma, uh… punk," the grunt feigned weakly. When Sera defeated him, another took his place.
When all her opposition had been dispatched, Sera hesitantly returned to the room, and quickly noticed several fist-sized holes in the wall she was quite certain hadn't been there before.
Tabitha forced a horrible mockery of a laugh. "Even I, Tabitha, am feeling all discombobulated… I can't seem to clear up this intensely unpleasant feeling welling inside of me." Making his way to Sera, he seemed visibly disoriented as he told her, "Step aside."
"I… I can't just let you walk out of here like nothing happened. You know I can't…"
An even weaker fake laugh followed. "Fine," he snapped. Sending out his Camerupt, he asked, "Is this better? Or is this what you wanted all along? The heroine who stops big bad Team Magma."
Sera couldn't answer, but begged with her eyes as much as she could for him to know that wasn't the case. As both a means of discouraging him from using Ground attacks that would tear up the building and, she hoped, a visual explanation of what took her, Sera released Sapphron.
Tabitha's eyes went wide. "How on earth did you-" But he sneered then and called his attack.
Sera raised her bracelet, and felt her heart sync with Sapphron's. The sight of a Latios surprised Tabitha; while he tried not to show it, the sight of Mega Latios had him scared. "Luster Purge," Sera ordered.
When a few more attacks left his Camerupt unconscious, Tabitha did not seem willing to continue the fight, reverting instead to his forced, fake laugh.. "Listen, you stress-inducing child," he hissed. "You're so determined to spring into action? When Leader Maxie enacts his plan, the land will not just be expanded. It will become Desolate. The plan was never supposed to be to destroy the ocean entirely, but that is exactly what might happen if this- this-" He emphasized with a wild gesture. "Do you get it? He's going to kill us all! If you're so determined to play heroine, you need to go after him. One way or another, he needs to be stopped."
Sera struggled to take it all in. "I-... Are you sure?" Of course, why wouldn't he be? "I definitely- I'll do my best to-..."
Pulling out a Pokeball, Tabitha replied, "I'm afraid I can't settle for just your best. I have to do what I can, too." He released his Arcanine, then. As his trainer climbed aboard his back, the beast lunged at Sera and Sapphron, causing both to dive out of the way. He blew a hole in the wall behind them, then, and leaped out into the wilderness.
But this time, rather than just watching the Magma Admin escape, Sera muttered under her breath, "Oh, like hell." She climbed aboard Sapphron, and took pursuit.
