Chapter 22
"That thing's a little terrorist!" The first thing out of Star's beak was that. She had retreated to Sara's shoulder as soon as her trainer got up in the morning, Meep pawing at her leg.
"How could you say that Star? Meep's adorable!" Sara bent to pick the little kitten up, and her Swellow flew up into a tree. "Oh, come on now Star! Stop that!"
"Star, maybe you should play with him." Sandsinger said with a yawn, "He's cute."
"But he's not!" Star squawked in reply, "He's just making you all think that! It's part of his master plan to turn us all into his loyal servants! Don't you all see? Meep's trying to take over us first and then what's going to be next? The world, that's what!"
Sara just shook her head, "Star, go back to sleep." She replied with a laugh, "You didn't get much of that, did you?"
"No." Her Swellow replied with a huff, "I guess you're right." She jumped from her tree and rested on the top of Sara's head. In moments she was whistling peacefully.
Sundav sighed loudly, "Are we ready to teleport to where your friends are?"
"Do you know where they are?" Rio asked, "It wouldn't seem likely…"
"Of course I know where they are!" Sundav snapped, "So are we ready or what?"
Recalling all their Pokemon, except Alkie, who wouldn't return to her Pokeball, the three trainers nodded. Alkie, Solorite, Jacob, Rio, and Sara all clustered around the light bird as she gathered her strength and sent them towards the Team Magma base in Elemental Ridge.
I didn't seem that they were expected, from the startled looks the group was given when they nearly reappeared on top of their friends. "Uh, hi?" Drake finally said when they got up, for the teleportation had dropped them all in a messy pile, "What's up?"
Sundav, out of the corner of Sara's eye, collapsed with exhaustion, her colorful feathers turned pale. "Hi all! We decided to drop in!" She exclaimed brightly.
"Literally." Rio added. He stepped back when Sara released her Swellow from her Pokeball. Star was still asleep, and she was quickly deposited on top of Sara's head again.
"We would have been here sooner." Jacob added, grinning, "But Sara got it into her head to catch a Pokemon, and we couldn't come until she did."
"Oh, Jacob, you're here too?" Elvina said, blinking at him, then Alkie, and down to Sundav, "So Rika was right… well, you three are here now, and the rest doesn't matter. But Sara, what Pokemon did you catch, since you couldn't have come without it?"
Sara fumbled around her pocket looking for Meep's Pokeball, muttering something about getting another backpack. She finally released the kitten, where he yawned and stretched before turning his wide sapphire eyes on his new 'friends'. Even Tabitha had twinkling eyes, but she didn't let them show, for she turned away and back to the men and women in Team Magma uniforms and told them to get back to work.
Inside the Magma Base was very hot, maybe it was built to be that way. Red tiles decorated the floor, while most of the machines littering the space had been painted red as well. It appeared they were in some sort of kitchen, by the looks of things.
Meep was playing around with Elvina's long hair as he bent down to pet him and it came falling down to where he could get it. Star finally woke up, and decided to pester Drake today. (She didn't know how he got to Dark End Path, or why it looked so red, but she was happy to see him.)
"What does she want?" Drake finally asked, dazed as the Swellow began to pluck curly brown hairs from his head.
"Mellow, I want him. Let that Swellow-boy out, I miss him!" Sara couldn't believe her ears. Could Meep really have terrorized her that much, that Mellow was a good alternative?
"She wants you to let Mellow out. Don't ask me why, I don't really know myself." She replied, watching Star pounce on Mellow as soon as he was released.
He looked very happy for the female attention, and began to sing for his Star. And that was when she slapped her wing across his head, "You haven't changed a bit!" She cried as she got off Mellow's back and returned to Sara's head, just to have him follow.
"Tabitha!" A strict voice snapped as a very strict-looking man stepped into the crowded room, "What is the meaning of all this?"
"Mister Maxie, sir!" Tabitha and a number of other Magmas that were standing around shot into a rigid pose and saluted the man, "I am here, and have brought friends!"
"You have a lot of friends." Maxie drawled.
"Yes, sir." She nodded and grinned, "I do, sir. Besides, there is someone you should meet." Tabitha waved to Sara, who was covered with Swellow at the moment, but stepped up anyways, "This is the Lady of the Day, Sara, that you've been told about."
Maxie paused for a moment, looking Sara over with a strange look on his face, "She'll do, I guess. But girl, do you have a thing for Swellow?"
"Yes-uh, I mean no! This one's not mine!" Sara plucked Mellow off her shoulder and blindly handed him to Drake, "This one is." She stroked Star, who chirruped her agreement.
"So this one may stay, at least." Maxie nodded slightly, "And the rest…?"
"They all can stay, sir!" Tabitha replied, but her leader's face grew tighter. It looked like he was going to kick everyone but Sara out, when Meep mewed loudly and tackled the Team Magma leader's legs and began to purr.
"He doesn't have any shoe laces!" He cried, but pawed at Maxie's shoes anyway. Sara was frozen in horror, what would Maxie do?
But, surprisingly, he laughed, "Whose Squee?" Maxie asked, picking Meep up and holding him with one arm.
Meep purred and nipped at his fingers, which didn't even make Maxie flinch, "Mine, sir." Sara replied, hoping the 'sir' would smooth things down some.
"Playful little guy." The Team Magma leader's face broke out in a rare smile, "Mind if I hold him for a while?" She nodded, stunned, "Good. Now, follow me, this is no place to have a meeting."
Meep purring, Maxie turned around and led them through a maze-like structure of warp panels and stairs. Finally, they got to an office that seemed to be Maxie's, and sat down in the chairs arraigned around a large, wooden table.
"Now then," Maxie started, holding Meep, but still looking tight-faced and serious at the same time, "Pay attention to the screen, would you all?"
The blank, flat-screen television behind him flashed on, and the respective lights around dimmed. Like a movie, but not exactly. "Like you've reported, Tabitha, there is rain appearing everywhere in the close vicinity of the where Kyogre was summoned." The television flickered on, and the same place that they had all been before flashed on in color. Muddy puddles had formed, and were being hammered by heavy raindrops that gave no indication of stopping.
"Kyogre's storm is spreading faster than we thought though." Maxie tapped the television with his free hand, and the map of Elemental Ridge appeared. Over the sea in which Kyogre was summoned, and inching forward closer to the Magma symbol that was this base, a huge storm was moving and getting bigger as they watched. Twilight Town looked to be very close to the base in which they were at, but Sara wasn't quite sure.
"And yet I have good news as well." With a wave of his hand, the television cut off and the lighting turned back to normal, "At the other Magma base in Hoenn, we've found a secret cave that we're drilling into more." He sighed and stroked Meep some more, looking tense, "We think we've found something that can battle Kyogre. And that would be Groudon, the one who made the continents themselves."
"Beware!" Sundav gasped. She had been carried with them, and was panting furiously, "The continent maker must not be summoned! Death, destruction, no! My brother has tolerated one of the two Earth-makers to rise, but he will not take kindly to another! Do not do this!" She had to stop; her body was racked by hacking-coughs.
Sara flushed and turned her gaze to Maxie, "I think she's right. Didn't the two Earth-makers go at it once and destroy everything in the process? Besides, at Dominus's command, Kyogre would be unbeatable, even if we do get Groudon on our side. …Because, if you look at a globe of the Earth, doesn't it seem that Groudon lost the first time?"
"Kyogre is at nobody's command." Rio added quietly, "And Groudon would be the same way. There is no real way to control either of them, their powers are too great."
"So what do you suggest we do then?" Maxie snapped, "Sit around and wait for Kyogre to send the whole world in complete darkness because of rain? I don't think so! We are going to summon Groudon, that's in order! And if we upset your brother, more power to him, Sundav." His eyes came to rest on the very exhausted form of the light bird.
She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes, "You are making a grave mistake…" She murmured, "My brother is already very angry at Dominus for disturbing the natural balance of the world. Do not tempt him to come after you, because you would stand no chance against him."
"Says you." Maxie sniffed, "I am not afraid of your brother as a title. If you would tell me what he is, I may change my mind."
"I mustn't. It is a vow I have sworn to take. If I would tell you of him, he would surely know it. Let us let this subject drop," Sundav had to pause for her coughing was too much at the moment. "It takes a lot to disturb the sleep of any one of the legendary Pokemon. Kyogre wouldn't have awoken to many, it is the same way with Groudon. Only if you get something in the way of… no, I shall not tell you. You will not awaken Groudon. I will stop you if you try." Her voice was firm and gave no weakness away.
"I do not doubt you, great Sundav, but it is foolish to think that there is any other way of stopping Kyogre. We have no Master Ball to catch Kyogre with, besides, isn't it true that a legendary can never be captured if it does not want to be?"
"That is correct." Sundav nodded slightly. Sara remembered yesterday and slapped her head silently. Sundav was a legendary! That's why that Pokeball exploded like that! She thought to herself, smiling at the light bird. Now all she had to do was figure out which legendary she was…
"So there is no other choice. We must anger your brother and awaken Groudon." Maxie responded stubbornly, "Am I right? Can no other person here think of a different way?"
Muffled 'no's came from everyone, there was no other way in their minds. "Fine, then." Sundav spluttered, "Do as you wish, mortal Maxie, I have warned you." She fell silent and closed her eyes. In moments it seemed like she was sleeping.
"So, we need something to make Groudon awaken because none of us are powerful enough." Sara murmured, to nods, "But what?"
"I have a feeling I know what." Maxie set a purring Meep down on the wooden table, where he decided sliding around was fun. "Tabitha, we go to Hoenn ASAP."
The Magma admin nodded, "Okay, now who wants to come?" She looked around the table at the people there, "Come on, somebody must want to see this too!"
There was a pause, finally broken by Sara's voice, "I want to come." She murmured quietly.
Louder, Drake's voice, "If Sara's going, I'm coming as well."
"Well, you all know what I'm going to say then." Elvina added in with a smirk, "I'm coming."
"Me too!" Rio exclaimed.
They all stared at Jacob, who finally nodded, "Fine, I'll come too." He sighed. Then all eyes turned to Maxie and Tabitha once again.
"Good." The Team Magma leader finally murmured, "We leave by helicopter. Come, the take-off station is this way." He got up and went to a certain door and opened it, soon everyone else was following him.