Chapter Four

Through Sun and Storm

Ironically enough, the day had begun auspiciously. Lynn had spent the night before dozing on the outskirts of Verdant Forest, having set up her hammock between two sturdy oaks just as dusk fell. After a quick drink of water the next morning, she'd packed up her things and set off once more. After an hour or so of walking, she glimpsed a stretch of meadow from between some craggy tree trunks. Easing out from behind a gnarled prickly bush, the weary ten year-old could barely keep a grin from spreading across her face. Despite her scrapes and sore feet, she'd made it out of the forest at last!

The trip through the field was a welcome change for Lynn, who'd so far spent most of her journey picking her way through tangled undergrowth. Now, she sprang lightheartedly through the tall grass, pack bouncing against one shoulder. A breeze tickled her cheek and ruffled at her hair as she bounded happily on. True, she didn't really have a direction in which to go, or a destination at which to be. But Lynn ran anyway, exuberant with the sheer joy of just that: running.

Soon enough, she spotted a strip of brown dirt in the distance. Slowing to a walk, Lynn approached it with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. As she neared the bare sweep of soil, however, she realized that the part she'd noticed before was only a fraction of the thing's entire length. The stretch of naked land wound like a ribbon through the field for what must've been miles and miles, much farther than her eye could see.

Lynn frowned at the sight, wondering if some plague or ravenous plant-eating Pokémon had stripped away all the vegetation. But one of Mother Woodwort's stories soon rang a bell in her mind. Outside Verdant Forest, Mother Woodwort had said, human hands had cleared long tracts of land long ago. These tracts were called "roads" and had been created to make traveling easier.

"In the days of the Pokémon Trainers," Mother Woodwort's voice came back to Lynn now, "people used roads to get to important places called cities or gyms. If a Pokémon Trainer ever got lost, all they had to do was follow a road."

Lynn wasn't exactly lost, but she was curious to see if there was any truth in Mother Woodwort's stories. Not to mention that strange words like "cities" and "gyms" intrigued her. Telling herself that she had nothing to lose, she trotted readily down the dirt path.

For the first few hours, the going was relatively easy. The flat, uncluttered road presented little difficulty to a spry young traveler. And though Lynn disliked the clouds of dust that swirled up from its cracked surface and tickled her eyes and nose, she had to admit it was easier on her feet than the hidden thorns and dried twigs of the meadowland.

But as several hours in the indolently humid air crept by, she found herself slowing to a weary trudge. The sun had climbed high overhead by now, to where it beat mercilessly down on her dark hair. The farther she walked, the more her head seemed to throb in the heat. Lynn stopped several times to wipe her face and take a sip of water from her canteen. Within minutes, however, the sweat would be running down her face as freely as ever, and her desiccated throat would force her to fumble for another drink.

Dragging to a halt for the umpteenth time, Lynn found herself longing for the shade of the trees in Verdant Forest once more. Shade would definitely be good. Anything that could clear away the scorching heat and muggy air would be good!

That wish was fulfilled before the afternoon was half-spent.

With her head hanging down, jerking carelessly with each labored step, it took Lynn a while to notice how dark the sky had grown…as well as the ominous mass of clouds that had gathered over the sun, concealing it from view.

A rumble in the distance made Lynn look up at last. By this point, the afternoon sky was swathed in threatening gray layers of storm clouds. The humid heat had vanished, leaving only crisp cold air and a meandering breeze to sweep across her face. Her previous complaints about the heat completely forgotten, Lynn hugged her bare arms to her body and shivered. The wind seemed to have frozen all her sticky sweat into clinging ice. Peering nervously into the sky, she forced her strides to lengthen.

A fork of lightning cleaved the heavens in two, followed by a resounding crash of thunder. Lynn ran faster as the first drops of rain began to fall, hitting her skin and splattering down in chilly runnels. As a second bolt of lightning illuminated the sky, she felt herself slipping into a rapidly growing puddle. Yelping, her arms wind-milling wildly about, the terrified girl fought to keep herself upright…

Thunder tore through the air again, so close that the ground itself seemed to quiver.

Gasping, Lynn went down with water splashing in all directions. The rain came in torrents now, turning the dry dust of the road into treacherous channels of swirling mud. Trembling with both cold and fear, Lynn struggled to her feet, rainwater pouring from her clothes in heavy streams. She almost fell again, but planted one foot over the side of the road just in time, where rough grass provided enough traction to stand.

Rain and streaks of dirt mingled freely over Lynn's face, blinding her eyes as soon as she tried to open them. Swiping at her face only smeared the mud into a more hopeless mess. Lynn gave up quickly. Head turned to the ground and shoulders braced against the wind, she ran headlong against the violent downpour without daring to pause, for fear of being washed away if she did.

This fear was not unfounded. As Lynn struggled doggedly on, she saw that the chances of being swept away had become very, very real. Pebbles flew from the road in a cacophonous hail, while the wind yanked out prairie weeds by the roots and viciously tossed them into the downpour. Lynn even thought she glimpsed a young tree, branches flailing wildly as it went spiraling into the murky sky.

The wind abruptly shifted direction, and now Lynn found herself buffeted backwards. Cold drops of rain battered her exposed skin, throwing globs of dirt and ripped grass against her body. As one particularly strong gust blasted past, Lynn found herself reeling back, unable to take another step into the oncoming wind.

Suddenly, a black shadow shot out of the storm, coming so quickly that it could've only been hurtled on the wings of the squall itself. Lynn tried to duck, but was nowhere near fast enough. The dark object slammed right across her face, knocking her onto her side and throwing her through the mud.

Spitting dirt from between her bruised lips, Lynn moved shakily onto her knees. The storm tore at her hair, wrenching the blue ribbon from her hair.

"No!" Lynn cried as Alouelle's gift went fluttering into the watery whirlwind. She might have even leapt after the ribbon, risky as it was, if a hoarse groan hadn't distracted her.

"S-someone there?" Lynn yelled, peering futilely through the storm. Her words were swallowed by the wind as soon as they left her throat. "Anyone?" she shouted more desperately.

Out of the storm's deafening roar arose a faint, straining response.

Shielding her face from the rain, Lynn stumbled clumsily towards the sound.

Only to trip over a large, sodden body.

Gasping in shock, Lynn fell to her knees. Though it was impossible to see anything through the raging downpour, she remained kneeling there, panting raggedly and blinking rainwater from her eyes. Slowly, the outline of a feathered mass grew clear before her bleary eyes.

"Feear! Feear-ow!"

That croak of a call confirmed the Pokémon's identity for sure. Lynn had seen Fearow before: large, fierce bird Pokémon who fought constantly with the Pidgeot of the Verdant Forest. But this Fearow was in no condition to be fighting anything. As a flare of lightning illuminated the sky, Lynn saw that the bird Pokémon's wings were flopped uselessly to the sides.

In a burst of commiseration, she reached out to help the fallen Fearow to its feet. Her outstretched fingers brushed the Pokémon's side, briefly touching the strange white powder coating the Fearow's body.

Snow? Lynn thought in disbelief, reflexively yanking back her hand. Rain swept the cold substance away before she could even try to wipe it off herself.

"Fe'raaae row! Fe'raae! Row!" The large bird Pokémon raised its head, wild eyes locking onto Lynn's terrified stare. Then, as the last of its energy dissipated, the head fell back into the mud with a splash.

Reaching into her pack, Lynn fumbled clumsily around. Trembling, she finally withdrew the packet of Gold Berries. Her slippery fingers and chattering teeth made it hard to concentrate on picking one out, but after several misses and near-drops, Lynn extracted one of the fruits and managed to crack open its tough, glittering shell.

Scooping out the Berry's innards with a finger, she approached the Fearow cautiously, unsure of what to do next. Gold Berries were known for, among other things, their remarkable restorative powers. If she could get the Fearow to swallow some, there was a chance it might recover…

As if sensing Lynn's predicament, the Fearow soundlessly parted its long beak. Swiftly, before said beak could close again, Lynn darted forward and dropped the Berry pulp into the Pokémon's mouth. It snapped back shut, just as another growl of thunder grumbled in the distance.

Now free of its ribbon, Lynn's dark hair fell over her face in a matted curtain. Gulping, she shoved it away and started to search for a second Gold Berry. Suddenly, the Fearow's drenched body gave a spastic jerk.

"Rain," it rasped, falling back to the ground with a shudder.

Lynn gaped. Never in her entire life had she ever heard of a Pokémon using human speech! It was as impossible as words issuing up from a rock or a tree. But yet here a Pokémon was, pronouncing unmistakably human words in front of her!

"Rain," the Fearow said again, its voice stronger than before. Its wings gave a small twitch as the Pokémon struggled to rise.

"Rain," Lynn repeated numbly as the aforementioned thing cascaded down about them in bone-chilling sheets. "Y-yeah," she said awkwardly, hoping, despite her gawking stare and crazily pounding heart, to somehow comfort the injured Pokémon. "I guess there's a lot…of r-rain."

The Fearow's head jerked slightly in her direction. In a brief flash of lightning, Lynn saw the bird's panic-stricken eyes, bulging as they darted back and forth. And in the crash of thunder that promptly ensued, the Fearow shook its long neck with equal frenzy. "Rain…" it croaked once more. "Rain…bow. Feather."

"Rainbow feather," Lynn echoed faintly. Automatically, her right hand fluttered to her pack, where her precious feather had been hidden.

Finally, the bird Pokémon's wild eyes seemed to settle on Lynn's drenched face. "Child," it implored in that same hoarse voice. "Forest child. Take the rain…bow-ack!" Once more, its sodden body convulsed. A clatter of metal rang out over the roar of the storm, followed by the splash of something plopping into the watery mud below.

Whatever it was hit Lynn sharply in the knee. As she fished it out of the mire, that metallic clash sounded again, though dulled a bit by clinging mud. The rain washed the object's surface clean swiftly enough, and by lightning's next blaze, she could dimly make out what the thing was.

It was made entirely of a smooth cold metal that glinted even in that fleeting burst of light. Though she had only a little time to discern the details, Lynn could catch glimpses of a graceful neck, a fearsomely curved beak, a single eye set in polished stone…

Something clinked as Lynn twisted the strange vessel around. Four bare metal hooks dangled from the object's side, clanging together every time Lynn moved. As her eyes shot above the hooks, Lynn saw something that stunned her even more than the talking Fearow.

Feathers. Three long, shimmering feathers, protruding from the figurine's back.

In a heartbeat, Lynn knew that these feathers were identical to her own.

"Take the Rainbow Wing," the Fearow commanded, voice stronger now that its spasms had momentarily subsided. "You know what you must do."

Somehow, Lynn did know. Or, at least, some part of her subconscious did. As if in a trance, she began to reach back. Her fingers were halfway to her pack when she suddenly caught herself and snapped out of the dreamlike state. She sat there gasping, shivering, wet, and overwhelmingly confused as the rain crashed down around her.

"Feeaar!" the Fearow gasped, wings sending sheets of muddy water rushing over Lynn's shaking knees. "Be strong, child! You must be the bearer of the Rainbow Wing now. You must finish it. Swear you will guard the Wing with your life! Under no circumstances must it fall into the hands of another! Feeaar! No! Not until it has been finished!"

Its crazed voice suddenly grew lucid and calm. "Not until it has been finished, and the bird of the seven feathers returns once more," the Fearow said in hushed tones, lightning clarifying its now clear, focused eyes. "Do this, child. Do it, or you shall bring destruction upon us all."

"The legendary b-bird of the seven feathers?" Lynn whispered disbelievingly, eyes growing wide in remembrance of Mother Woodwort's coming of age story.

Though the bird of the seven feathers no longer flies these skies, it is said that it will someday appear again to a destined soul, one who is pure of heart and has been chosen by the fates. And that hero shall restore the balance of the world at long last, and there shall be harmony among all for the rest of time.

Some part of Lynn wanted to shake this memory off with a shrug, dismissing it as a story, and just a story. A silly little tale that couldn't possibly harbor any scraps of truth.

As if sensing her vacillation, the Fearow raised its long beak, sticking it inches from Lynn's nose. "All legends are rooted in fact, child," it croaked out.

That could be perfectly true. But it didn't have to be.

Trembling so badly that she set off a chain of ripples in the puddles around her, Lynn tried to shake her head. Still shaking it, she started backing away.

"Please, go to Verdant Stadium," the Fearow said weakly. Its movements were becoming stiffer now, its body growing clumsy and rigid. "You'll find help there. But you must be quick and brave. Go to the city and find the other feathers! Now hurry! Feeaar! Hurry, child, before you're caught…before…FEEAAAAARRRRR!"

The Pokémon's wild scream pierced the tempestuous sky, breaking over the roar of the rain and the deafening thunder that followed.

"C-caught?" Lynn squeaked as the shriek faded. Rain, or perhaps it was tears of frustration, blurred her eyes and burned her face with their chill. "Please," she pleaded, trying to sound composed and brave and all the other things she knew she never was. "I'm s-sorry, but I don't understand! What do you mean by caught…who's after me? And…and I've never heard of Verdant Stadium! You have to find somebody else…I…I'll…"

A shudder ran through Lynn as she realized the Fearow was dead. With one last crack, its body had frozen grotesquely in place. Now, the Pokémon's bulging yellow eyes lay hauntingly open, even as torrents of rain poured down onto their upturned surfaces, even as water pooled in the bird's feathers and slightly open beak.

"No," Lynn whimpered in horror, scrambling away from the Pokémon's corpse. She had a sudden urge to fling the Rainbow Wing, despite what the Fearow had said, into the mud and run as fast away as her legs could carry her. But she could not get her trembling limbs to work at all.

The Fearow's dying screech and ominous words rang in her ears, sending a sickening terror coursing through her body. Oblivious to the rain gushing down from the heavens, as well as the lightning flashing repeatedly in the turbulent sky above, Lynn could only dazedly crouch there, clutching the Rainbow Wing to her body as the storm raged around her,

Be strong, child! the dead Fearow's command echoed in her mind. You must be the bearer of the Rainbow Wing now! You must finish it. Do this, child. Do it, or you shall bring destruction upon us all.

"But how!" Lynn found herself choking out. "How can it destroy us? I don't know what to…I can't do this! I know it must've been important to you, but…but…"

But, as she gulped down her tears, Lynn knew this wasn't true. There was something she could do for the dead Fearow. She could do it right now, in fact, if she'd stop blabbering to its corpse.

Gritting her teeth, she guided her numb fingers to her pack and groped about its contents. It was difficult at first; her hand was so cold and wet she could barely feel a thing.

But after several painstaking minutes of searching, Lynn finally pulled out her precious rainbow feather. Holding up her feather to the three others already attached to the Rainbow Wing, she was relieved to find that they were nearly the same shape and size. This part, at least, she might not mess up. Or…

Should I put this thing on a hook like the others? Lynn thought confusedly. Do I just stick it on, or do I have to wrap the hook around it? Seeing as she could barely see the hooks at all, this thought alone was nearly enough to overwhelm her.

But just as before, her fingers unconsciously knew what to do. Lynn watched in amazement as her hand leapt up of its own accord, grasping the feather by its quill. In one precise, decisive motion, it had pierced the quill's thin spine with a free hook. Lynn gasped as a burst of iridescent light exploded before her. The force of the blast sent her skidding and sliding back in the mud. Squeezing her eyes shut, she doggedly gripped the Rainbow Wing as it grew first burning hot, then unbearably cold.

When Lynn fearfully opened her eyes once more, her feather was attached to the Rainbow Wing as firmly as the other three. She felt a tiny surge of triumph at this success, pathetically small as it was. Clutching the Wing in one hand, and using the other hand to prop herself up, the badly shaken girl rose slowly to her feet.

The storm seemed to be calming now. The lightning had dimmed, fading slowly but surely into the distance, and the thunder no longer sounded as menacingly close overhead.

Looking back, though, Lynn saw that the Fearow's body had turned a glossy blue-white. That strange pale substance had seeped its way through the Pokémon's feathers, freezing into what looked eerily like solid ice. Lynn's fingers, the ones that had brushed the Fearow's side before, seemed to tingle with an ominous chill.

Hugging her hand to her body, the forest girl turned hastily away.

She'd seen Pokémon die before, from old age or wounds gained in territorial fights. But never from anything as strange as a sudden spreading freeze that turned your entire body into ice.

Still, despite her growing fear, Lynn couldn't help but feel a prick of sadness at the Fearow's death. She'd been the last one to see the Pokémon alive, and hadn't acted kindly towards it at all. But what was done, Lynn also reasoned, was done. As always, she had to move on.

Especially if staying meant risking the Fearow's unlucky fate.

Heaving a ragged sigh, Lynn shoved her hair behind one ear and shouldered her pack. She'd figure out what to do about this Rainbow Wing and Verdant Stadium business later, when she was warm and dry and not trying to outrun the rain. She did owe the dead Pokémon that much, she knew miserably.

Not even somewhat reassured by this decision, she moved out onto the rougher grass.

Lynn. Lyynnnn.

Deciding it was just the wind playing tricks on her, Lynn shrugged the strange noise off. The rain had become much lighter now, no more than a drizzle, really. It wouldn't wash off the filth off her mud-caked clothes, but it wouldn't hinder travel so much, either.

Lynn decided to be thankful for that. The sudden mist that had sprung up about the field, she noted anxiously, would be all the hindrance she could handle.

[Lynn, where are you going?]

That was definitely not her imagination. Was it? Lynn's head jerked about, squinting through the fog for a speaker. When she found none, she mentally chastised herself and steeled her mind against any more distractions.

[Do not leave, Lynn. I have come to help you.]

Lynn walked on, determined not to pay any mind to the crazy whispers in her head. What she saw next, however, unwittingly froze her in her tracks.

A pale blue ribbon was rippling in the wind, approaching in a stately glide through the mist. Was it Alouelle's gift ribbon, the one she'd lost in the storm? Lynn took a step forward, marveling at such an impossible recovery. But as the ribbon drifted closer, Lynn saw it was far too long to be any hair ornament.

To her wonderment, a second, identical ribbon floated into view after the first. The twin bands wove a mesmerizing dance before Lynn's eyes, disappearing into the thick fog one moment and materializing in a pulsing azure aura the next. Transfixed, Lynn took another step towards them.

Just as a pair of glowing ruby eyes came forward to meet her.

A sleek head emerged from the mist, a head with a delicate ivory muzzle and piercing red eyes. A shimmering cobalt crown covered the creature's forehead; from the brief glimmers of light that sprang about it, it looked to be carved from some enormous crystal. Behind this luminous headpiece floated masses and masses of luxurious lavender mane, undulating in the same soft wind as the ribbons trailing before it.

[Lynn,] the creature with the ruby eyes intoned. The mist faded, revealing a lithe furred body shining with the same sapphire radiance as the ribbons. In fact, Lynn realized as the creature approached, those ribbons weren't really blue at all. They were as white as newly fallen snow and had only been bathed in the color of the creature's glowing coat.

Glancing back, she saw that these pure white ribbons actually formed the creature's long flowing tail, a tail that wound and floated far in front of the rest of the body.

"H-how did you know my name?" the astonished forest girl squeaked out at last. And how can you speak like that…with no words out loud. Just in my mind?

The creature threw back its head in a silent chuckle. [What does it matter?] it said gently. Lifting one of its four nimble paws, it took another graceful stride towards the girl. [What is that you are holding, Lynn?] it said in that same soothing voice. [Perhaps you would grant me a look. Just a single glance. Surely that would not be too much to ask?]

It was as if Lynn had forgotten everything up until this point. Looking down, and seeing the Rainbow Wing gripped tightly in her hand, gave her mind a rough shake. Suddenly, she was no longer fixated by the creature's gentle voice or its unearthly beauty. Clutching the Rainbow Wing tighter than ever, she began to back away. Undeterred, the creature steadily advanced.

[It is the Rainbow Wing, Lynn, is it not? Given to you by the previous bearer, Aeolus the Fearow.] The creature's voice melted into the sweetness of wild honey, falling to little more than a purr. [You need not hold onto the Rainbow Wing anymore, Lynn. Entrust it to me; I will take it off your hands. Aeolus was a friend of mine, and I can take care of everything for you. All you have to do is give me the Rainbow Wing.]

Though she'd broken out of the creature's spell, Lynn had to admit its proposal was tempting. You were worrying what to do with this thing just before, she thought. Give it to someone who actually knows what to do. They'd fulfill that Fearow's last wish much better than someone like you. Just open your mouth and tell them they can have it. Come on, say it!

Lynn's lips parted, but the words that came out were completely different from what she'd intended. "B-but the Fearow gave the Rainbow Wing to me," she heard herself saying nervously. "It told me not to give it to anyone else. It told me," she gulped, throat suddenly very dry, "to guard the Rainbow Wing with my life. It seemed very serious about that before it…I-I'm sorry, but I…I shouldn't…"

[Perhaps you do not understand,] the creature said impatiently, its syrupy tone evaporating. [Aeolus was old, tottering about on its last brittle wings. Its wits were nearly gone when it found you, and it had no idea what it was doing when it gave you those ridiculous instructions. Now give me the Rainbow Wing, Lynn. Give it to me before it is too late!]

Shivering in the suddenly gelid air, Lynn hugged her arms to her sides, the Rainbow Wing along with them. "I'm sorry, b-but I can't!"

[Do as I say, girl! Now give me the Rainbow Wing, or I shall take it from you!]

A frigid blast of wind slammed into Lynn's face. "No!" the girl screamed, clutching at the metal Wing even as its surface became coated in frost and her knuckles turned a bloodless white. "No, please no! Please leave m-me alone!"

With a snarl, the creature with the red eyes lunged forward, a swirling ball of energy coalescing between its open jaws. Lynn felt the Rainbow Wing's free hooks cutting into her palm as she tightened her fists. A blow to the stomach sent her sprawling back, and as Lynn looked up, the creature's arctic breath sent particles of ice creeping across her face.

[Aeolus chose poorly,] it scoffed, eyes glittering murderously. Then, lips curling, it released the blazing ball of energy from its mouth.

Lynn wasn't sure what happened next. All she remembered was screaming as the creature's attack hurtled her way, filling her entire vision with dazzling blue light. Reflexively, she threw up her hands to protect her face. It was a gesture made only in panic, a last-minute defense that should have been useless against any attack. The ball of light crashed into her hands, knocking her violently against the ground.

But the next thing she knew, a gasping howl rang through the air. Dazedly raising her spinning head, Lynn saw the red-eyed creature lying on its side, its sleek hide scorched and marred with burns. Around its body, a newly formed crater was still smoking.

Springing to her feet, Lynn was off at a panicked run. She didn't dare to look back as she raced across the waterlogged field, splattering its muddy contents in her hasty wake. In her hand, the Rainbow Wing was smoking just as the crater had, its ordinarily cool metal near scorching to the touch.

When she'd thrown up her hands, Lynn had thrown up the resilient metal ornament along with them. It had been the Rainbow Wing itself, she'd numbly realize later, that had reflected the attack.

But Lynn didn't care about any of this now. Her frenzied mind had enough sense left for only one thing: to run. So Lynn ran and ran, never noticing as afternoon darkened into evening and evening into black, all-consuming dusk.