Chapter 97
There were few times in her life where Fate could say that she was really, truly happy. As she strode through the underground base that morning, it was one of those times.
The problem of the Meganium-woman was over with. All it took was one simple, single act and Fate had removed the problem forever. Aroma was just a pretty-faced corpse, slowly growing cold in Palkia's Woods.
Fate felt no remorse for what she had done. There was only the joy of a job well done and the anticipation of telling Cal. He was a ghost again. He could stalk the crowd freely without worry. Fate had given him that freedom. And it had been so easy!
All around her, other agents were battling each other. They all trained for the battle that would begin in just one more day. They fought anywhere and everywhere there was room. Fire and poison and waves of darkness flooded the hallways. Time was growing short, but Farin's army was nearly ready.
Each of the agents fought with the twisted, half-transformed beasts Fate had seen everywhere. She had been human much longer than all of them and had thus escaped her fate as a test subject. If had she evolved only a year or so later than she had, Fate would've been as mindless as the brutes that surrounded her. Or worse, she could've been one of the monsters screaming in the cages in the deepest part of the base.
Yet Fate had no sympathy or pity for the half-turned beasts around her, especially not that day. She was better and stronger than all of them. She wasn't some rabid dog trying to break loose. No, she was already free. Cal was still her master, but she hadn't needed him to deal with Aroma. Fate had done that on her own.
She smiled to herself and pressed her hand against the Gardevoirite concealed within her dress. A Flamethrower shot past her left ear, close enough for a few flecks of orange-red fire to land in her mint-green hair. But she barely flinched. The agents that were fighting began to yell something at her, but she paid no attention to that as well.
Fate needed to find Cal and tell her master about her success.
That task, however, soon became much more difficult than Fate had expected. She dared not use her abilities within the base or the flood of screams from below would be too much to bear. Instead, she had to find Cal the normal, human way.
She started with his office, but found it empty. Not even Tesla or his boy were lingering inside. Next, she tried the officers' sleeping quarters, but that too was empty. She passed by a few more agents as she left the sleeping quarters, but she didn't bother asking about Cal. Whether she was in full control of herself or not, she likely wouldn't receive any help from those agents. They all looked at her the same way. It was the way they looked at all human-Pokémon. To the agents of Team Deus, Pokémon were weapons and a human version was just a more potent version.
She often told herself that Cal wasn't like them. He was better than them. Cal treated her with respect and care.
Fate walked straight past those hopeless agents. They probably only trained those half-turned beasts, anyway. They belonged together, just as Fate and Cal belonged together.
She began walking towards Farin's office, the only place left for her to look. Just a few feet away, she heard Cal's voice drifting towards her. She smiled to herself, eager to tell her master that Aroma's body was lying in Palkia's Woods and she had put it there. She knocked on the door and heard Farin call her in.
The two human men were alone. They had been arguing over something. Fate could tell because Cal's face was slightly pinkish and he was wringing his hands. Farin, however, was calm as always.
"Ah, welcome, my dear," Farin greeted her, "come in, come in. How do you like your present?"
"It's…very generous," Fate told him, "I've…made sure to put it to good use."
At hearing those words, Cal turned right around to face her. His eyes were suspicious and stern. They asked her, "What have you done?"
"Well, I'm glad to hear it," Farin nodded, "you can take your trainer back, by the way. Our discussion has concluded."
"No, Farin," Cal snapped, "we're not done."
"Yes, we are," Farin sighed, "I concede to your plan."
"I…what?" Cal asked, thrown off balance by Farin's unusual attitude.
"I'll send word to have a boat ready," Farin concluded, "it should arrive on the island before nightfall. I'll let you have your contingency plan. Although, I really don't see the need."
"That's why it's a contingency plan," Cal reassured him, "it's only there in case we're wrong." For the first time, Cal was satisfied with the results as he finished talking with Farin.
He led Fate into the hallway where the two could talk.
"Hello, Cal," Fate greeted with a smile.
"What do you want?" Cal asked his human Gardevoir.
"I did it," Fate told him.
"Did what?"
"I killed her," Fate nodded, still smiling, "I killed the Meganium-girl."
"You…what?!" Cal grabbed Fate's arm. The middle of the hallway was not the place for them to talk. He tugged her along and headed towards the only place no one would follow them: the basement.
"Cal, what are you doing?!" Fate yelled in protest, "I don't want to go down there!"
"Shush!" he snapped. He didn't bother explaining himself.
"Cal, stop!" Fate cried, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. She could escape easily enough, but she didn't want to hurt him.
The howls and snarls coming from the basement grew louder as Cal dragged her down the steps. There were dozens of them, just like every other Team Deus base. At first, they were merely stored away in case they could prove useful. As a matter of fact, they did. Fate wasn't the only psychic-type human Pokémon at Team Deus's disposal. And none of them were powerful enough to see through the veil of the tortured screams of these failures. Every single Team Deus base had a veil against psychics, just like Himitsu.
At the bottom of the steps, Cal tossed Fate into the cage-lined room. Fate was strong, but her body was light. She tripped on her dress and she stumbled forward and fell onto the concrete. The Gardevoirite slipped out of her dress and began rolling across the floor. Without thinking, she grasped for it and narrowly missed having her arm bitten into. A human Krookodile, more teeth and claws than anything else, snapped at her through the bars on its cage.
Fate drew back and hastily stuffed the Gardevoirite down her dress once more. She held her palm outward and lit up the basement as she unleashed a Dazzling Gleam at the Krookodile. It let out an angry hiss before falling unconscious.
"Why did you bring me here?" Fate looked up at Cal, her face filled with shock and fear. The basement had gone quiet after she had disciplined the Krookodile, but that wouldn't last long.
"To talk," Cal told her, "no one will be listening down here. Now, tell me again. What did you do?"
"The Meganium-woman," Fate explained, "I killed her." She didn't dare stand up. She had no idea why, but Cal was clearly furious with her.
"Why?"
"Uhh…be-because I thought you'd want that…" Fate hung her head. What had she done wrong?
"Were you seen?"
"No," Fate shook her head, "we were alone. In Palkia's Woods. I led her away from the city."
"How?"
"I…entered her mind," Fate explained, "I could only give her a few suggestions, but…it was enough."
"I didn't know you could do that."
"Neither did I," she shook her head once more, "but…I needed to…so, I did."
"Alright," Cal's voice seemed to soften. Was he glad that she made sure not to be seen? Or was he only focused on her ability? Fate couldn't tell.
"You killed her in battle?" Cal continued.
"Yes," Fate nodded. She still did not lift her head.
"She resisted?"
"Yes."
"Were you hurt?"
"Not enough to bleed," Fate assured him.
"And how did you kill her?"
"Psychic."
"Was that all?"
"No," Fate admitted, "Dazzling Gleam. I used Dazzling Gleam and three Psychic attacks to kill her."
"Three?"
"She used Light Screen," Fate explained, "She didn't attack me. She…seemed to hope someone would come to save her."
"You should have used one attack," Cal told her, "dozens of human Pokémon can know Dazzling Gleam and Psychic. But hundreds can know Psychic."
"I'm sorry…" Fate apologized. She hadn't realized that mistake. She should have known better. Whoever found Aroma's body would be able to tell what had killed her. Dazzling Gleam and Psychic. She cursed her stupidity.
"And no one saw you leave Palkia's Woods?"
"No."
Cal paused. He seemed to be thinking it over and looking for holes or mistakes that could have been made. Fate had already made one in using two different attacks instead of just one. It was a small, yet valuable mistake.
"It should've been Whisper," Cal sighed.
"Master?"
"Whisper, the human Zoroark," Cal reminded her, "He should've killed her. He could've taken the fall and been counted as a loose maniac. Now…they'll almost certainly know it was us."
"But…" Fate had no idea how to answer that.
"That was stupid, Fate," he told her, "stupid and reckless."
Fate felt her heart twist. She hadn't been helping. Sweet Arceus, she was a blind, pathetic woman…
"I'm…I'm so sorry," Fate dropped to her hands and knees before Cal, "I didn't know…" she whimpered on the cold floor, in front of him.
"Never mind that," Cal sighed, "stand up."
"Master?" Fate raised her head, but did not stand.
"It's over," Cal shrugged, "there's nothing else we can do. And I need you."
"You…need me?" Fate stood up, her eyes wide.
"Farin wants to split into groups, for the attack," Cal explained, "I'll need you to keep an eye on his position while I lead the second."
"Oh…of course," Fate agreed.
"Alright," Cal turned and began walking towards the stairs, "come on, then. Let's get out of here before they start trying to rip their cages apart, again."
Fate nodded and followed after her master. She had hoped for congratulations and praise, but she hadn't realized that she made a mistake. A lesser master would have discarded her for such an error. But not Cal. Cal was a good master who cared about her. And he needed her.
He was a strong, good master and she would continue to support him. He might not praise her or whisper her name in his last moments, but for Fate, it was enough to simply stay by his side.
Silver paced back and forth as he watched the street for Aroma. Half an hour had passed since the nurses had told him and Shinobi that they were okay to go. Half an hour and there was still no sign of her.
"Could she have gone to the hotel?" Lily suggested. She was sitting on her knees, looking over the back of one of the lobby chairs. Even Shinobi watched for their missing team member.
"She knew we would be here," Silver reminded her.
"Yeah, but…maybe she changed her mind," Lily hoped she was right, but had a terrible feeling that she wasn't. She should've left her cell phone with Aroma.
"Something's wrong," Silver shook his head, but he was willing to try anything, "Shinobi? How fast can you get to the hotel and back?"
"Minutes," the human Ninjask answered.
"Go, then," Silver tilted his head towards the hotel. With a blink of an eye, Shinobi was at the door to the Pokémon Center. In another half a second, Shinobi became a blur as he raced down the street.
"She's fine," Silver said more to comfort himself than Lily, "it's broad daylight and she was surrounded by people. She's fine. She's just…late."
"Could she have gotten lost?" Lily asked, grasping at straws.
"Maybe…" Silver shrugged, willing to believe anything.
They watched the windows in silence. No one that resembled a human Meganium passed by.
Silver put his hand on the glass and started drumming. Half an hour. It was too long. There was nowhere else for her to go. There were no stops she needed to make and no point in returning to the hotel without them. So where was she? He prayed that he was wrong and in another ten minutes, Aroma would come around the corner, escorted by Shinobi.
But Shinobi came around the corner alone, after another two minutes.
Lily and Silver both left the Pokémon Center to meet Shinobi outside.
"Was she there?" Lily asked, still hopeful.
Shinobi shook his head.
"Get in the air," Silver commanded him, "search the island. We'll be here."
"At once," Shinobi nodded and was gone, zipping along the rooftops as he searched up and down every single street.
"You don't think she was…" Lily didn't want to finish her sentence.
"She's fine," Silver repeated, "broad daylight. And she's smart. She wouldn't let anything like that happen to her again."
"Then where…?"
"I don't know…" Silver admitted. He waited with his trainer, in silence. He dreaded the answer from Shinobi. The minutes ticked by much too slowly.
What if Team Deus really had kidnapped her again? If that were true, then it was probably a trap, just like before. But why go after Aroma a second time? Farin had let them go before, Silver was sure of it. None of them had been a real target, but instead they were practice or bait or Arceus knew what.
Silver couldn't guess what psychos like that could be thinking, but if they had hurt Aroma, he would make them pay.
"Silver…" Lily called him. She never used his nickname anymore.
"What is it?" he asked.
"We'll find her…right?"
"Of course," Silver turned to his trainer, "Shinobi will be back with her any minute."
"Right…" Lily nodded, but she didn't seem to believe him, "I just…I said some really, really terrible things last night."
"…We all did," Silver told her. Plenty of those terrible things were echoing through his head. He pushed them back as much as he could, but they were still there. Did Aroma know he still loved her? Sweet Arceus, where was Shinobi?!
"I'm sure she'd forgive you," Silver tried to reassure Lily. He could do that, for now. But who would reassure him? How long could he last without Aroma next to him?
"You think so?"
"Yeah," Silver nodded, "yeah, I do." Aroma would never hold a grudge. It wasn't in her. What she wanted, more than anything, was for them all to get along and be happy. He told himself this over and over. Yet he still knew that Aroma hadn't fallen asleep in his arms. She hadn't banished him to the lobby, like she had threatened, but they had slept on opposite sides of the bed, with as much space between them as possible. They fell asleep hating each other. He'd never forgive himself for that.
Shinobi came back after another hour had passed. There was no Meganium-woman with him.
"What do we do now?" Lily asked. She was shaking.
"The woods," Silver turned. It was the only idea he had left. The only place she could wander into and be lost. He prayed to Arceus he was right.
"We'll check the woods."
By the time Silver, Lily and Shinobi began their search; Aroma had been missing for nearly two and a half hours. None of them wanted to voice their chances of finding her.
Each of them had been inside Palkia's Woods before, but never together. Silver had been inside the most, but even he didn't understand how Palkia's Woods really worked. Every time he went inside, he saw a different section of the forest. He only wanted to be alone with Aroma and that's what happened. He could only wish that his desire to be by her side again would make it so.
Silver took the first steps into the trees. Lily and Shinobi followed close behind, watching everywhere for signs of movement.
"Stay close," Silver told them, "don't get lost while we're trying to find somebody."
He led the way, trying his best to keep a straight path. Just like before, everything seemed the same for the first few minutes, but began to drastically change. He was in a new section again, different from any other. Aipom jeered and hissed at them from overhead. A few tossed nuts and berries at them, but most kept their distance.
Silver vaguely wondered what had them so riled up.
He pressed forward, occasionally checking to make sure that Lily and Shinobi were still behind him. It was impossible to tell if he was making any progress. He could've sworn he had passed the same set of trees four times.
Where is she? He asked Palkia's Woods, I just want to find Aroma. She has to be here. She has to.
At last, the scenery began to change again. The local Spinarak began to outnumber the Aipom and the trees grew sparse. He spotted a small clearing, ahead of him.
The woods were quiet as he came closer. No wild Pokémon hissed at him as he walked through the trees.
There was something in the grass. He couldn't quite make it out yet, but it looked pretty big. It was a lighter shade of green than the surrounding grass. It was…a pale-green. Just like Aroma's dress and hair.
He started to run. Lily and Shinobi were close behind.
Silver rushed into the clearing.
And there she was: asleep on the grass. It was the perfect picture. The sweet, grass-type Aroma was gently sleeping on the soft grass, basking in the sun. No wonder she had fallen asleep here: it was perfect. The sun was warm and comforting without feeling too hot. Aroma seemed to melt into the earth around her. The flowers adorning her neckline and the pale-green on her dress blended into the ground so well, she might disappear if Silver looked at her from the right angle.
He exhaled a deep sigh of relief and smiled. He bent down next to his lover and nudged her.
"C'mon, sleepyhead, we've been worried about you," Silver urged her, "c'mon, up and at 'em, we're all starving." Aroma didn't respond, but kept sleeping away, peacefully.
"Si-Silver…" Lily sniffed.
Silver turned back to his trainer. She was crying. Why would she do that? Aroma was right in front of them. And she was safe.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"S-she's…not…" Lily shut her eyes, "she's not…br-breathing…" She sank to her knees and sobbed.
Silver turned back to Aroma. She was fine. She was just…
The image shattered when he looked at her next.
Aroma hadn't been dead for long, but her lips were starting to turn blue and her pale skin was almost as white as Silver's jacket. Blood must have been coming out of her nose, but now her upper lip and most of her cheek were caked with layers of the stuff. Most of it was dry, but some was still wet. And yes, just like Lily said, she wasn't breathing.
Silver screamed.
AN: Silver can be kind of a jerk, but it's tough to hate him when stuff like this keeps happening to him…
Nothing else of import to report right now…nothing I can think of, anyway.
Oh, well…I leave you with this depressing moment.
See you next time and thanks for reading!