i need to slow down on the updating

Arc I, The Plate of Space

Chapter Seventeen:

Philippa in Pink

An unspoken understanding had lodged itself between Aurelio and me.

He looked blankly, and vaguely, in my direction. I was unsure where his attention really was. It might have been on me, or beyond the open window and past the ocean. He could have been unconscious and I wouldn't have known. Meanwhile, I awaited his reaction. I had never told anyone about the sacrifice — the selfish sacrifice I had made in the heat of the moment — not even the legendaries. I had barely acknowledged the mistake I made myself.

"The Plates," said Aurelio finally.

I failed to reply. My throat wouldn't work.

"The Plates, Arceus," he said. His eyes were still unfocused. "The seventeen elemental Plates that you created to bring balance to the universe...they're gone. Disappeared. Nada."

"Not necessarily," I said with haste. I wished that I had never initiated this conversation. "They simply...don't work anymore."

Aurelio blinked. "You do realize — nevermind." He pinched his eyelids together, massaging them shut. "You want to do me a favor and rewrite eight-hundred years of research my family has done again? Because I want to be wrong. I want to be wrong in my understanding that the seventeen elemental Plates you're so famous for actually don't keep balance in the universe, and that they're essentially useless except for being badass in theory."

"They are not useless. Although, badass in theory, yes."

"And they're not working."

"Haven't been for about ten thousand years. That's just an estimation, though…"

Aurelio rubbed the faint traces of facial hair on his cheeks. He had shaved last night, but the dark blonde whiskers were already creating a shadow across his face. "What about the three super Plates?"

"More functional than the others," I sighed. "It would still be disastrous for outsiders to find them. Their power drains much less instantaneously than the seventeen elementals. They work, but I feel their strength steadily being drained. The science behind it all is very complicating."

The bed creaked as he sat back, trying to absorb this information. "All for the Alterstone," he said, sounding more entertained than anything else. But the longer he talked to himself, the more darkness shrouded him. "The universal, elemental Plates...ten thousand years ago...stopped working...for the Alterstone." He looked up. "You didn't think this through, did you?"

I bit my lip, tasting blood. "I wanted to be human," I muttered.

"I always thought you were just as human as you were Pokémon because of the Alterstone," he said, sinking into his spot on the mattress. "Nobody knew that my grandfather had captured you. You're not even registered in the Pokédex for that reason."

I was insulted, even though I had no right to be. "That would displease me regardless!"

"It would be a small price to pay for keeping, you know, the universe intact."

"Please, Aurelio, you try running it for once— "

I suddenly stumbled forward, feeling as if a cold fist had grasped my heart. Something pulsed between my ears. It sounded like the ocean waves were crashing inside my head. Had the boat rocked forward? Filled with trepidation, I glanced up at Aurelio, but he had not budged from his spot on the mattress nor did he look particularly rustled.

"The Plate of Space," I whispered. The Plate had not adequately warned me. I had not felt its call for assistance since last night.

And now a mortal was touching it.

I gasped and clutched my chest again. Aurelio leapt off of the bed and ran to my side, supporting me by my arms. "Some mortal has my Plate!" I snarled, every protective instinct in me rapidly flaring to life. I pushed Aurelio off of me and stormed to the window, looking outside to the north, where I felt its energy crying out for me. I demanded, "How did they get it so quickly?!"

Aurelio stood there, unnerved. "The excavation wasn't supposed to be finished for weeks," he said emptily. "Why would they send us to the site if…" He trailed off, sick with realization. "Oh my gods, Arceus—"

The window slammed shut in my face. A small Pokémon — a Misdreavus — floated beside the glass, snickering. I pushed my palms against the window, trying to get a closer look, but she gave one final, insulting laugh and soared into the darkness out of my view. I cursed madly at her, "Don't you know who I am, you pathetic mortal Pokémon!" while spewing profanities between every other word.

"We have to leave now," said Aurelio, who was already throwing his notebook into his bag. He picked up his phone and started texting. "Looks like I'm cancelling that date I had with Josie tomorrow morning…"

I nearly swatted the phone from his hands. "This is not the time to be socializing!"

Making sure the Alterstone was secure around my wrist, I shoved the door open, prepared to launch out into the hallway and evacuate this ship before I made it sink from the sheer weight of my animosity — only to nearly collide with a woman, who was standing nearly nose to nose with me, her huge blue eyes blinking and an amused smile on her face.

She blew a pink bubble from her mouth and popped it.

"Good gods, you're handsome," she said, touching my jawline. I slapped her hand away, but I was so stunned otherwise that I couldn't think of how to get around her. "Let's take off those girly clothes and suit you up with a gentleman's outfit. You can play human and take me downtown. Nobody would be able to tell the difference!"

She was wearing a black blazer, which suffocated her pale breasts, and her legs were covered in latex. The fabric was so tight that I could see each curve and muscle, as if she wasn't wearing anything at all, and she had dressed herself with all sorts of tacky, vintage decorations that she must have found from the 1800s. I had been glad when the Victorian age ended, but their legacy apparently lived on through this woman.

And her hair, swept up into curly pigtails, were bubblegum pink — a pale and gentle color, quite unlike her voracious visage.

I tried to push past her, but she threw her gloved hand up onto the doorframe and leaned against it. I stared at the pink silk, dubious about how to handle this.

"Philippa," she self-introduced. Her fingers dragged down her chest, down the soft crevice of her cleavage, and to the label pinned onto her jacket. That must have been the brooch that Josie had mentioned. The longer my eyes followed, the wider her smile became. "You've heard of the Antebureau."

"Grimmwolfe sent you," I stated bitterly. He had abandoned all inconspicuousness, I supposed.

She peered into the room. "Oh, it's just my lucky day, isn't it? Grimmie's left me two gorgeous men! Arceus, I love that angry expression — it's really firing me up inside, if you know what I mean. But I just can't get over that doe-eyed fellow behind you. I'm guessing that you're Aurelio Solomon. Your mother must have blessed you with that exquisite face, because you didn't get that from Alcott!"

"Who are you?" Aurelio pressed, clutching his bag close to him.

"I said that I was Philippa, you dolt," she said grumpily. I noticed the belt of Pokéballs hanging from her tiny waist. "And I need you two to stay in this room, at least until Grimmwolfe gets back with that Plate. He can't have you anywhere near the crystal mountain for the time being. Don't worry — I promise that I make excellent company."

My face hardened. "Let us through, mortal."

"Keep talking to me like that," said Philippa, absolutely simpering, "and I'll shut the door and lock in all three of us. I need some playthings to pass the time."

I took another step forward and walked into her arm. She was braced against the doorframe. "My patience is wearing thin," I said. The Alterstone blazed brighter, as if agreeing with me. I sensed a battle nearing. "I would rather not hurt you with force."

Throughout all of my time spent in Rustboro, I had felt Latios' presence constantly hovering near me. I appreciated that I could call him if desired. But if I knew him well, which I unquestionably did, I knew that he was always one step ahead of me. As prompt as ever, Latios had appeared in the corridor before I could even detect him. He could never handle being absent from the action.

"Philippa," he said casually from behind her. I edged my eyes around her pink hair. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, smiling at the back of her head. "It's been a while."

Without turning around, Philippa started giggling. "This is a treat," she said. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"Arceus is a good friend of mine," he replied, seeming calmer than I felt. He meaningfully eyed me. Somehow, I understood. "You can be quite the handful, so I thought I'd drop in and help. One of the most battle-elite members of the Antebureau...Grimmwolfe executed all precautions, didn't he? Even you've gotten me into a couple of tight predicaments before."

"That's a compliment in my opinion," she remarked. Her hand flew around to attack him, but he swiftly grabbed her by the wrist and relentlessly held her where she stood. Her expression lit up. "You've been the slickest sucker I've ever dealt with. You're going to break a girl's heart. All I want is for us to be together."

Latios smiled gently, as if dealing with a child. "We can be for as long as I keep you here. I'll even hold your hand until Grimmwolfe arrives." He snatched her other hand, which he had caught jumping towards her Pokéballs. Both of her arms were secured behind her back. "So how about you let my friends pass?"

"I guess I have no choice," she sighed, "with Arceus in front of me and you behind me. But it seems that we've both failed to acknowledge even the most basic of courtesies in the Pokémon world: the rule that these sorts of conflicts are all resolved with a Pokémon battle!"

At that moment, a Jolteon sped down the hallway and leapt up at Latios, howling and snarling. The entire corridor was illuminated by the light of an electric explosion, momentarily blinding me. Before I could properly think of an escape plan, I grabbed Aurelio's hand and yanked him out of the room. The both of us shoved past Philippa and sprinted as fast we could.

"Just run!" I shouted to him.

He yelled in response, "And don't look back!"

End of Chapter Seventeen