A/N: It's been quite a while since I had an author's note! I would like to thank Silver Lugia, Natsume Yungerer and Leone the Infernal for their faithful reviewing! It's been really helpful. I guess it's time I thank you all... so thank you!
This story's ending quite soon. Thank you for all those who have been reading.
Errr...the disclaimer! Finally I'm remembering it! I do not own Pokemon.
Suddenly, the light vanished, and Lugia's body, still glowing faintly, rose from its sleeping position and soared up through the water almost as if it were in the sky. Then it dove down again, towards the three of them.
"Thank goodness you won the battle," It said. "We've got a town to find, haven't we? Get onto me, masters."
"Masters?" Winona asked questioningly. Lugia formed a large bubble of air, and Winona made Pelipper swim into it from the top, so they fell onto Lugia's back. Then, after she had returned Pelipper to its pokéball, Lugia raised its wings and took off through the black water, up and out into the sky speckled with brilliantly shining stars, and the ever-radiant moon.
A shooting star streaked briefly through the sky, its flaring white tail showing up stark against the velvety black.
"A shooting star," Winona whispered. "That's supposed to be good luck, isn't it? I'll make a wish. And I hope it means we'll find Pacifidlog."
I hope so too, Falkner thought to himself.
"Alright, into the sea again, now I've felt the wind," Lugia called back. Without stopping, it plunged into the glimmering water, breaking through the surface in a rush of bubbles.
Lugia continued its steep downward path towards the seabed.
Suddenly, there was a loud roar of water from below, and all three looked down, to see Kyogre swimming towards them, palely lit by Lugia's faint glow.
"I know where Pacifidlog is," Kyogre called in its low, yet shrieking voice. "Can't lift it. The barrier's still round it, thankfully. They still have air to breathe."
Lugia seemed to straighten at that. "Air? Then I think I know how to get it up to the surface. But the barrier? I don't know about that."
"We'll do what we can first," Falkner said decisively.
"You're right. We'd better get Pacifidlog out first," Winona agreed.
"I might need your help if I run out of energy. Pacifidlog Town is very big," Lugia said, before following Kyogre. Only Lugia's soft glow gave any light in the deep, unrevealing water.
Soon, Kyogre stopped. Somehow, it could see in the dark. "Here, this is where it is," it said.
Falkner tried to listen for sounds from inside the submerged barrier, wherever it was, but only heard the deep, watery sound of the sea and its currents.
"I think I can sense something…" Lugia murmured. "Yes, air trapped down here!"
Suddenly, Lugia's glow flared up fiercely into a steady radiance. Then, everything became clear, as the light revealed all. There Pacifidlog Town stood, looking out of place at the bottom of the sea, all the houses and pathways intact. It looked just as it had on the surface, except it was…completely deserted.
A sudden brightness behind his eyelids woke the Pokémon Director. Blinking at it, he looked around at the tiny room in which all the leaders were sleeping. There was a bright light outside the window. Had someone come to save them?
Just a few hours ago, the whole town on which they stood had started to sink, and a barrier had prevented anyone from leaving. Only Winona and Falkner had escaped, somehow. Now, they were all underwater in the dead of night, and there was a bright light shining into the room.
Some of the others were rousing.
"What's that light?" someone mumbled sleepily.
"I think there's someone outside, here to save us," the Pokémon Director replied. He stood and walked to the window and looked around. The bright light was still there.
More were waking up. Many asked what the light was. The Pokémon Director was just as puzzled.
And suddenly, the ground began to rise.
Lugia cried out loudly as Pacifidlog Town began to rise. The whole town stayed suspended in midwater.
"Help me!" Lugia shouted. Then, Winona felt her mind and vision somehow sink into Lugia's bright glow, and connect to its soul…
All of a sudden, Winona could feel every particle of air in the town before her, screaming to return to the sky, and yet, entrapped by something, kept bound below the sea.
"Rise…" she heard herself shouting. She took in a deep breath, and began to reach out to the air inside, becoming part of it herself, using all her energy to rise…and go upwards!
Nothing was happening. At least from where she was, she could not feel any change. Harder! She strained with effort as she pushed upwards on the barrier.
"Winona, are you there?" came Falkner's voice from nearby, strained with effort.
"Yes…" she called back. Suddenly, she felt a little stronger. She was not there alone. Falkner was there too.
"Keep going!" Lugia cried out, as if in deep pain. "Pacifidlog's huge!"
Lugia was trying as well! Filled with new energy, she gave all she had to push the town upwards.
"You need help," a fourth voice joined them, both high and low at the same time. Winona looked down through the eyes of her spirit, and saw Kyogre's dark figure looming below the pathways. More help.
Then, shouting, screaming in effort, she began to push upwards harder, together with the others.
And Pacifidlog Town began to rise. Winona kept her vision on the water above.
As they got higher, the pressure of the water lessened, and Winona began to feel more confident, more hopeful.
"Keep going!" Lugia commanded, its voice stronger, all around. "You're doing a good job!" With a final effort, Winona's spirit flew up against the barrier, and suddenly, Pacifidlog rose up with a whoosh, and it was back.
But the air around her continued to buzz around within the barrier, pushing on all sides.
There was a moment of tension.
Then the barrier was shattered, and the air roared out into the night, free…free at last!
The air particles danced around Winona as if in joy. She felled happiness swell in her heart.