SINNOH STORIES
THE LEGEND OF VOLKNER

Chapter 11: Shoot for the Stars

Volkner slipped carefully out of his bed, his eyes drooping to half-way being shut. The idea of sleep right now was a welcome one, but he didn't quite know if he'd be able to get it. So instead, he would approach the one person he knew was awake.

She sat in her bed, the light of a lamp illuminating it, a book in hand. As his feet hit the ground, she noticed him, and glared away from her reading.

"Might I ask what's troubling you, Volkner?" she asked.

"You know what it is," Volkner retorted. And he knew she did.

"The dreams of your friend? Or me?" A tone of legitimate curiosity was evident in her voice, and Volkner let loose a frustrated groan.

So she knew of his dreams.

"Of course I do," she responded. "You should know me better than that by now." A grin had crossed her lips, met by a scowl from Volkner.

"Yeah. I suppose so," Volkner said and sat at the edge of her bed. His gaze was piercing; her's soft and soothing. But the soothing effect would not work on him today. It would not work on him ever again.

"Tell me, Volkner," Mana said. "Have you figured it out yet?"

Volkner stared at her for a few seconds, then slowly shook his head. "Tell me."

"I can't quite do that," she responded. "Of course, I could, but... well, it would kind of ruin the point."

Volkner clenched the sheets in his left hand, gritting his teeth. "Don't play with me, girl."

Mana placed a hand over her mouth to stifle an oncoming giggle. "Do you really think I'd talk so cryptically to you, Volkner? I have no idea what you're so angry about."

She did, he knew: she was just playing with him. And it was at that point that Mana lifted a hand and pointed toward Volkner's pocket: his cell phone began to ring. He glared at Mana, and then stood up and walked to a quiet corner, opened up the phone, hit a button and began to speak.

"This is Volkner Denzi speaking," he said. "Who is this, calling at... two fifteen A.M.? Better be good."

"You sound pretty awake to me, Volkner," the voice said.

Volkner's eyes widened. He recognized the voice immediately.

Cyrus slid a hand against the rock wall as he walked by it, his other hand busy pressing his phone against his ear. A grin was spread across his lips. The sound of a friend's voice was a comfort: for he was alone, but he would be joining the others soon. He wanted to introduce his ideas to the other boy first... for a boy who suffered so, he could tell, would be glad to hear the news.

"Hello, Volkner," Cyrus continued. "It's been a little while, hasn't it?"

"... Cyrus," Volkner muttered. "Hey. Where have you been?"

"Exploring. Learning. I learned some great things."

"Well, good for you... is it important, Cyrus? Can it wait 'till the morning?"

"It is important. I'll cut straight to the point," Cyrus said. "One of the things I learned was a legend. A Legend of a group of five Pokemon: they are the beings of emotion, will power, wisdom, and those who control space and time. Mesprit, Azelf, Uxie, Palkia and Dialga."

"Okay..." Volkner said. "Your point is?"

"My point is, that when Mesprit, Azelf and Uxie are gathered together, they can easily control the duo of Palkia and Dialga. With those three, one can control space and time's lords."

"... Did you call to give me a bedtime story, Cyrus?" Volkner muttered. Annoyance was obvious in his voice.

"No. You don't get it, do you? If one can capture those three and summon the duo, they can reshape the universe to their ideals... I want to do it, Volkner."

"... You're insane, Cyrus," Volkner said. "How do you plan on doing something like that?"

"I don't know yet. I just know I don't plan on doing it alone. I know for a fact that I can't," Cyrus said. His grin widened to the point of where he thought his lips would stretch and burst. "Which is why I want to make a proposition to you."

"Is that so?" Volkner asked. "And what would that be?"

"I'm going to form a team. It's going to have to be huge, like the Rocket Gang of Kanto - it'll be shunned. It will be criminal. But to defy the law is a cost well-worth it; this team is going to work toward capturing these five Pokemon. And when we do, I will destroy this world."

"Destroy it, Cyrus? What?"

"Destroy it and then reshape it. The world will begin anew under the names of Akagi and Denzi - we will reform the world so that it will be forever without strife. Without suffering. Without pain. We will do the world a great favor, Volkner! Join me as a co-leader... a co-leader to the gang that will shoot to the stars!"

"... You're utterly insane, C-cyrus," Volkner whispered suddenly. He had gotten a reaction to this incident. Perhaps it was awe.

"... Call me back some time soon, Volkner. Take your time to think it over. Introduce it to the woman... uhm, Gardenia, wasn't it? We three can talk it over, perfect the idea. What do you say-"

Cyrus was met with a harsh click. Volkner had hung up on him... it was slightly frustrating, he had to admit, but he supposed not all had the capacity of mind to understand his plan like he did. He would give him time to think it over.

And if he denied him... well, Cyrus didn't know what he would do.

Volkner snapped his phone shut and thrust it into his pocket, eyes wide. He couldn't recall, but the terminology of what Cyrus had said sounded oddly familiar to him.

He glared over to Mana, who was staring back at him. He walked over to her and sat down at the edge of the bed once again.

"Who was it?" she asked teasingly.

"... You know who it was," Volkner murmured.

"Actually, I really don't - I'm not quite -that- talented."

"... It was Cyrus," he said. "A friend."

She cocked an eyebrow, and a bit of harshness suddenly entered her eyes. Very uncharacteristic of her. "The boy who was in the Valley Windworks with you?"

"Yeah. We traveled for a bit - hey, how did you know about that?" Volkner asked. It was, for some reason, surprising to him.

"Even people like me read newspapers, Volkner," she said.

"... Right," Volkner said. "... Anyways, we traveled for a bit, then Cyrus decided to go his own way and us our own."

Mana simply nodded. "Go back to bed, Volkner."

Oddly enough, Volkner found himself wishing to listen. He slipped off the edge of Mana's bed and over toward his own, where he laid his head down on the pillow and shut his eyes.

But he did not get a wink of sleep.

The four traveling trainers slipped out of the Pokemon Center early the next morning: Gardenia peppy and excited, Jasmine her usual calm and happy demeanor, Mana being the same. Only Volkner was in a bad mood, trudging out of the Solaceon Town Pokemon Center with absolutely no rest from the previous night. His mind was too focused on other things.

So, because of him, the group moved oddly slow.

"C'mon, Volkner," Gardenia whined. "Let's pick up the pace! Put one foot in front'a the other! Left, left, left right left! 'n' whatever other fancy ways of sayin' walk yer butt faster I forgot."

Volkner glared daggers at her. She shut up.

Eventually, the four of them reached a three-way road. To te north, they spotted two things: One, a building with a sign above it, stating "Mooman's Travelin' Trainer's Respite" and below it "Resterant". Gardenia laughed at the blatant misspelling of restaurant. Second, a field of tall, healthy looking grass.

To the east, a set of steps carved out of dirt. They could see a bit of rainfall in the distance there.

To the west, a path in which they would have to climb a small ledge to get past. With Volkner with them, that was virtually impossible.

So the four of them headed inside "Mooman's Travelin' Trainer's Respite 'Resterant'", and found it rather empty. At the most, about five people were inside other than themselves, and three of them were waitresses, one behind the counter.

They moved over to a table and sat down, waiting for one of the waitresses to come over. They sat in silence, even as she dashed over to them and laid out five menus - one for each of them, and one labeled "Pokemon Food" in the center of the table. Jasmine was the first one to reach for it, while the others flipped open their people-food menus.

After about ten minutes, they got their food - Pokemon and people alike.

Jasmine released three Pokemon: Abigail the Abra, Benjamin the Butterfree - a large blue-skinned Pokemon with big red eyes and striped white wings - and her own Magnemite, Margaret.

Gardenia released three as well: Her Tangela, her Turtwig, and her Roselia.

Mana released a single Pokemon: a Kirlia, which twirled around as it moved toward its bowl of food.

Volkner, of course, released Chuseph, Elekid and Jolteon, and all of them began to eat.

Volkner regarded his Pokemon with a scowl. Such adorable little devils; cute when they needed to be, but devils when they weren't. It wasn't until he felt the soft touch of a hand on his shoulder that he realized just how open he had made his dislike of the small, cute scene of furry creatures having their little meal.

"Cute, aren't they...?" a voice said, and he looked up to identify it as Jasmine's. She wore a simple smile that seemed to lighten up the whole room, and for a moment, Volkner couldn't think of a come back - he was absorbed in her visage. But he broke out of the spell and muttered something beneath his breath.

"... Foul little bastards," he muttered.

Jasmine looked at him like he was growing lobsters from his ears. "Excuse me?"

Just then, a voice interrupted the little scene.

"Well hiya there - just look who it is!" Gardenia exclaimed.

And God be damned, Volkner thought. If it ain't Cyrus - and he's got a friend.

As he looked up to examine the two who had approached the table, Cyrus and this red-headed girl accompanying him, Volkner sighed and stood up.

"Closer than you let on, huh, Cyrus?" he said.

"Just a coincidence, Volkner - a pleasant one, though, wouldn't you agree?" Cyrus responded.

For now, Volkner would be polite as to not risk getting his ass handed to him on a silver platter by Gardenia. "... Yeah. I suppose so."

Gardenia spoke up next. "C'mon Cyrus, find yerself and yer friend a chair! Sit down and talk fer a bit!"

Cyrus nodded and did so, him pulling up next to Volkner, carefully avoiding his Pokemon still eating close by. His friend pulled up next to Gardenia, smoothing out her gray skirt before doing so.

"So, how've ya been, Cyrus?" Gardenia asked. "See ya've been travelin' some." Her eyes moved to the light smears of dirt on his clothing.

"Yes - I moved almost immediately through Mt. Coronet after I separated from you two. Made my way up to Celestic Town where I met Marsha here, and then we went back down through here and decided to stop for a bite to eat... and, we come upon you... four. My, the group has widened considerably since I left, hasn't it?"

Gardenia nodded. "I s'pose an introductory session is in order! Let's all introduce ourselves. No unfamiliar faces should leave this restaurant this evenin', 'kay? I'll start us off - my name's Gardenia! From Eterna City."

The friend of Cyrus spoke up next. "Marsha. But please," she said as she glared at Cyrus. "Call me Mars. From Celestic Town."

"Sorry, I keep forgetting..." Cyrus said, a bit of embarrassment evident in his voice.

Mana spoke up next. "Mana Aname, from Hearthome City."

Cyrus widened his eyes a bit, the only one who knew Volkner's real history. He continued the pattern, despite this. "C-...Cyrus, from Sunyshore City."

"Wow, that's a long way's off," Gardenia said.

"Yeah..." Cyrus responded.

Volkner was next. "Volkner, from Nunya."

"Don't be rude, Volkner!" Gardenia said.

"It's okay, it's okay..." Cyrus butted in. "It's alright if he doesn't want to say..."

Jasmine finished off the process. "I'm... uhm, Jasmine, from Olivine City."

"Johto?" Mars asked. "... Even longer way off. Wow. Got some real travelers among us, huh?"

Gardenia grinned and nodded. "Really."

Volkner stared at the variety of people around him, and wanted to get up and scream. He was tired, frustrated and now stuck in one hell of a position: Really, could his luck get any worse?