PokeStones of the Dead – Chapter Eighteen
Brock had received the message from Dragonair, asking him to hasten his attempt to draw out the sacred powers from his Pewter PokeStone – a massive Golem – in order to combine that power with the remaining Gym Leaders to bind Lance enough for his power to be partially transferred. He of course, verbally agreed, although he had not really paid attention to the message, or even the situation. All the news he had gotten was from the two youths running through his city a day ago – what were their names again? And even then all he had been asked was whether his Pokemon had gone missing. Honestly, what did they think – that I was giving out free Pokemon?
Settling into his comfortable chair in his office, Brock drew up his computer screen of the taxes he had collected this month. Surprisingly, the number was less than last month – and that was including the 2 increase in taxes he had imposed due to… the rising costs of Pokemon breeding, yes. Checking the table more carefully, he found that the decrease was due to the number of tax defaulters skyrocketing due to extreme poverty. Great. I was looking forward to grabbing 10 more Carbos for all my Pokemon. Never mind, the usual method of punishment applies – their right to own Pokemon will be default until they can scrounge up the cash.
Then, Brock finally turned his attention to the task he had been charged with. Actually, the PokeStones that he had agreed to build in conjunction with the other Gym Leaders were simply there to fuel his city with the electricity that was eating into his sinker fund for Pewter. And, well, it looked cool, what with the realism and all. Now somehow, there is this supernatural force lying deep within them that I have to draw out and master, so I can bind this ridiculous necromancer that has somehow managed to absorb the powers of all Pokemon in existence. Brock sighed, unaccustomed to a force that could usurp his virtual throne. In the past he had been a fair and powerful Gym Leader, but then he found that there were far too many trying to imitate documentaries on TV about Pokemon trainers who had managed to make it big, either in Kanto or in neighbouring regions.
So, what was he to do? Surely not allow them to simply leave the city in droves – didn't people ever be content with what he was giving them anymore? So he had just tightened Pokemon laws, so that only the most powerful could leave to further their skills. Then he realised that allowing the powerful to leave posed a threat to his rule over his city, so he prevented them from exercising their once-rights. It was a natural reaction, after all. Surely he could not allow them to prepare their rebellion in some far-off place until they actually COULD rebel.
Brock opened his internet browser and then logged onto his email account. It was time to bring this worrisome command to the attention of his allies in Kanto. There were some – the Cerulean and Celadon Gym Leaders, as well as the especially irritating Giovanni – that were constantly criticising his policies. Well, one's dead, and we still hold a majority in Parliament. They can't do anything. Brock sent his message to Sabrina and Blaine, before adding Janine to the list. Her father's dead, but surely he would have imparted his values and ideals to his daughter. Misty and Giovanni remained conspicuously absent from his list of recipients.
Clicking the "Send" button, Brock turned back to the window on taxes. They would meet up later and have a good chat on what they had to do in order to fend off the pesky kids who thought that they somehow had the power to command the Gym Leaders.
Lillette was strengthening the forces that she had to deploy in order to take down the swarm of Dead that would no doubt surround the sacred place that they had to penetrate in order to bind Lance to the remaining Gym Leaders' will. Her soldier mind automatically kicked in as she divided the forces she had into divisions, each with a captain. Lance's dragons had returned with the reinforcements they had been sent to get, including the Fighting Dojo Master, completely recovered after his leading role at Lavender, Bill, who was offering advice and information about new Pokemon strategies that would come in useful, and hundreds of wild Pokemon committed to defeating the new power that was upsetting the chain of being in Kanto. Temperance watched her from the Pokemon Centre, him being grossly out of his depth in such matters. Instead he made use of the free time he had to emotionally bond with his Pokemon. Their role in the upcoming fight would be large, but he was the one that would play the biggest role of all.
They had a good chance, really. No matter how many Dead Lance could dig up from the timeline of deaths, they were still no match for an organised force of living Pokemon. And Lillette was possibly the best military commander Kanto had ever seen. Not to mention that their forces had been largely bolstered by the addition of wild Pokemon to their ranks. Even the Pokemon once loyal to Lance, the Pokemon that had listened to his orders as he commanded the defeat of Temperance and Lillette in fair battle, had switched sides. Surely the very repulsive nature of his actions would turn all his allies away, except for the emotionless Dead. And of course, they now had the three legendary birds on their side.
Janine's computer beeped as she received incoming mail. She stopped what she was doing – researching her father's notes on the Venomoth PokeStone that had been built. Funnily enough, all she could find were notes and receipts of the monetary transactions Koga had taken part in. She had always disapproved of the high taxes and policies in Fuchsia, but she hadn't expected the scale of them to be so large. Opening up the new message, she was startled to see a proposal of a meeting to – work against the boy and girl who had saved Lavender? When Brock himself had done, well, nothing?
In an instant, Janine realised the deep-seated problem that was plaguing Kanto, and how most of the Gym Leaders – including her late father that she respected – used to respect – were causing the problem. She was now Gym Leader of Fuchsia, wasn't she? In charge, able to make decisions? She quickly forwarded the message to Misty and Giovanni, adding on a message of her own. They're meeting in a bid to boycott the plan set to bind Lance! They're trying to hinder Temperance and Lillette! We have to stop them! Go to Pewter City ASAP. We have three, they have three, and it's finally going to be even.
Sending her own message, Janine then went back to the original message, where she posted a very fake reply about how she was also worried that all her father had worked for all these years would be undone by the "two pesky kids". It looked fake even to her own eyes, but perhaps Brock and the rest could not determine her character. Everything depended on this meeting, whether they could persuade the other three to join in. Cursing the lack of Poison Pokemon capable of supporting human weight, Janine ran towards the Pokemon Centre in Lavender, where she was currently residing, to withdraw her Fearow from the PC. She had to get there, and fast.
Every remaining Gym Leader was now checking their mail – some with two new messages, some with only one. Even Giovanni, newly selected as the captain of the main force that was to spearhead the assault, could not have missed the beeping of his PDA located in his pocket. Janine's message was obviously composed in a great hurry, and showed that they had precious little time remaining if they were to intercept the secret meeting. Giovanni quickly informed Temperance and Lillette of an "urgent and impromptu meeting", then got on Rhydon, which thundered its way towards Viridian Forest and Pewter beyond. At Cerulean, Misty was already on Mantine, preparing to fly right over Mt.Moon – it was after all not in safe condition after the battle – and all of Lance's Dead were not patrolling the skies anymore, they had all been called to the sacred location that had to be protected at all costs.
Brock walked to the Museum, the rendezvous point that he had stated in his email. Janine cannot make it, but she will agree with whatever decision we make. Sabrina would no doubt take mere seconds to arrive – she could always teleport here while holding on Alakazam or one of her other Psychic Pokemon. As for Blaine… probably he would arrive on his Charizard. And sure enough, Sabrina was now walking right ahead of him, her waist-length black hair as attractive as ever. A red light signified the returning of her Alakazam into her Poke Ball. Looking up, Brock also saw Charizard speeding above. It quickly descended, the steep dive hardly fazing its rider. Blaine was by far the oldest of the Gym Leaders, but his ambition and energy had not dissipated. In fact he was probably the one who had pushed for the harsher laws that were now characteristic of Cinnibar and Pewter, even though his city itself was the least populated out of the cities with a Gym Leader.
"So. I trust you are aware of the situation at hand."
Brock had already posed the question before Blaine recalled Charizard, knowing the enormity and urgency of the situation. Before Sabrina and Blaine could show their assent, Brock was continuing his statement.
"We now have a choice between two evils here. Lance has now gotten the power to choose his form of punishment against us. As you know, Lance was a leading dissenter of our value system, and frequently made tirades against us in Parliament sessions. Well, he has decided to take matters into his own hands, and can now command the powers of Pokemon. His first targets will be us. Whether we will be incinerated, electrocuted, or simply torn apart with the force of the mind, is all up to him."
Brock allowed the words to sink in, then continued, speaking more urgently now and to the point. "Well, the only way we have to stop him is through the combination of our powers with the other Gym Leaders. That will apparently allow Lance's power to be partially diverted into the body of another human. And somehow, that human has been chosen to be a sixteen-year-old boy! Not one of us, second in battle to the now-defunct Elite Four, but a mere youth that had been training in Hoenn!"
Brock again checked himself, pushing the anger back inside him, before speaking again, "We must either allow Lance to rule Kanto, or allow that boy to take Lance on in a final battle. And if the boy triumphs, what then? Will he still retain the power he had taken from Lance? Would he be no better than what is threatening us now? I am sure, spending time in Viridian, they would have known about what we are doing from Giovanni. He may or may not set up a new scheme of government, one that would totally destroy the power we had been building up all this while. Hell, his newfound power would even give him the liberty to declare himself dictator for life. So, what is your take on the matter?"
Blaine was the first to reply. Obviously he had anticipated the topic of the meeting and had come to his own conclusion. "Certainly, we are in a position of great danger. The boy, fresh from Hoenn, knows nothing of the complexities of the Kanto politics. Blinded by the moral high ground, he might even decide to abolish the entire Constitution altogether. Can we allow that? I think not. However the alternative lies with Lance and the total destruction of our cities anyway. I think the more prudent course is to take alliance with this boy for a while, and wait for an opportunity later. Maybe they'll finish each other off in their battle, and that would be all the better for us."
Sabrina simply nodded, but for the first time, Brock noticed that she looked unsure of herself. Usually, she was as cool as ice, making decisions based on logical thinking. Also, she showed no compassion for the subjects she was ruling – Saffron, while the most prosperous city in Kanto, had only wealth for the top echelon like the management of Silph Co. The simple citizens had as much money to spare as all the citizens in Cinnibar – not very much. Yet now her simple gesture of nodding seemed forced, as if she was struggling within herself. Brock cast the thought aside. They had no time to worry about that now.
"So, we will agree verbally. Go and retrieve whatever power from the PokeStones that they want us to retrieve, and meet at the rendezvous point stated by them. After Lance is defeated, we will surely be able to overthrow that boy."
Just as Brock turned to leave, an angry voice – voices – sounded from around him. Spinning around, Brock saw three figures step outside from the trees. Misty, Giovanni, and… Janine? That bitch must have tipped them off… I made a mistake including her in the email. But Sabrina surely must have sensed them hiding in the forest… she IS a psychic, after all – or has she had second thoughts about the entire scheme?
Blaine looked as surprised as him. Both their eyes turned to Sabrina, who was determinedly staring at the ground, avoiding their gaze. Before he could speak, Giovanni had already started his speech.
"So! You have decided to take matters into your own hands, and act independently of the entire body of Gym Leaders, right? Has your avarice and lust for power really blinded you to the situation at hand? You want to screw up your own city, fine, I can't stop you. But if you want to destroy Kanto because of your stupid character flaws, you really need to think hard about it!"
Brock decided that he had no time for confrontation now. He had heard the same words a thousand times before, and was already numb to it. He turned to leave, ignoring the angry conversation behind him. Until Alakazam materialised right in front of him, blocking the way back to the Pewter Gym. Brock wheeled around again, only to see Sabrina finally meeting his gaze, the cool blue eyes shining with something resembling… anger?
"Stop right there, Brock. If you persist in continuing this nonsense, even I will not help you. I have met the boy in question that you were lambasting just now, after the Battle of Lavender. I really do not foresee him being the dictator and tyrant that you make him out to be. A new system of government – maybe. But I will take that risk, over simply letting him go and fight Lance without our proper support, like a pig to slaughter! You suggest ridiculous things. Pretending to help them, and then stabbing him in the back? What has the money done to you? Besides totally warping your mind into something resembling Lance itself? I can now understand why Lance is doing this. Because of people like you!"
Brock was stunned. There was no possibility that Sabrina had joined the other side… He looked to Blaine for support, before noticing that Blaine, having talked to the other two Gym Leaders all this while, had moved over to their side. Even Blaine's been converted as well?
Giovanni said, "Checkmate, Brock. You're alone now. Will you change your stand, or will you come over and save Kanto?"
Brock's answer was silent. In a flash Onix was out – along with a Sandstorm attack. While the other Gym Leaders covered their eyes, Brock was already turning back towards Pewter. They had only five Gym Leaders, not the six required to cast the binding spell.