TWENTY-FIVE
"I just got a message from the surgeon in Dendemille. The convoy I sent out with your Charizard arrived at his practice an hour ago, and he is in surgery now . . . .You've been very quiet, Augustine," said Teleurac as he looked at Augustine from the front passenger seat of the car. During the car ride from the Kalos Federal Penitentiary back into Lumiose City, Augustine had kept his forehead pressed to the window, looking out as the red-brown landscape of the Lumiose Badlands passed by in a blur. It was good that Charizard was being tended to now, he thought, but the news had little impact on him. All he could think of was Serena, how confused and disappointed she looked, what she had said to him – her anger towards him was justified, but how could she question his feelings for her? Being hit in the crotch would hurt less than that. If she knew the truth about how he saved Ampharos from that procedure . . . .
"I have nothing to say," Augustine murmured.
"Aah . . . I suppose she's not too happy with you right now. Understandable. And she doesn't care that what you did was for her own good, what a pity . . . . You should be happy that she's in a safe place, out of the cold, and regularly fed. She'll always be there in that cell, so you can go visit her whenever you want, and . . . you know . . . ." Teleurac snickered.
Augustine's expression hardened.
"What's the matter, Professor? I just gave you permission to engage in intercourse with your girlfriend whenever you please. Consider it a reward for a job well done – in addition to surgery for your Charizard, of course."
Finding himself at a loss for words, Augustine turned back to the window. That was not the reward he wanted – sure, he had craved intimacy with Serena, but not like that. Not in small, cold prison cell where they would be on display for anyone walking by, and especially since she didn't want to see him.
"Oh, and Professor? After we fire at Castelia tonight, our energy reserves will be severely depleted. Once you return from Geosenge next week we will begin extracting energy from Serena's Pokemon. Make sure you collect plenty of virtumultite."
The rest of the ride back into Lumiose City was silent, other than Teleurac having a Holo Caster conversation with Malva about to deliver an address to the public concerning the oncoming strike against Castelia. Augustine found himself lost in his own thoughts, the reality of everything hitting him. He would have to deal with Teleurac and Team Flare for the rest of his life, going along with their plans even though he couldn't stand to be in the same space as any of them. He'd never be free.
None of that could have been worse than what Serena would have to endure, he reminded himself. She was being coerced into this, promised that her Pokemon would live out their days in relative comfort. Yet their lifespans would still be cut short – she would be devastated, heartbroken, suffering in solitude and thinking that he never really wanted her.
Serena had told him that whatever he got out of betraying her better be worth it. It wasn't. After that conversation, nothing would ever be worth it.
Once back in Lumiose, Teleurac told the driver to go to Augustine's lab to pick up some equipment for the expedition to Geosenge. Augustine watched people on the streets during the drive: they all either watched the car go by, or were standing over a Holo Caster with surprise on their faces. The news about Serena's capture must have gotten out already, he thought.
"Dominic will be driving you and your team to Geosenge. He will come pick you up in thirty minutes," Teleurac explained as the car pulled up to the curb outside the lab. A Flare grunt who was posted outside the lab's entrance approached the car and opened Teleurac's door. "No thank you, I'm not getting out. Go open the door for Professor Sycamore."
"You're not going in with me, sir?" asked Augustine.
"Weren't you listening to my conversation with Malva? I have to update the public about the situation with Unova, and then call President Oria and let her know that she has until tonight to surrender. Besides, the reason I went with you everywhere is now behind bars. I think you can be trusted to not do anything stupid in thirty minutes."
The Flare grunt opened Augustine's door, and Augustine stepped outside. The position of the sun indicated to him that it was now noon, and a cool breeze ruffled his hair slightly.
"I will call you tonight to for an update," said Teleurac before the grunt shut the door. The car drove off down South Boulevard.
Augustine turned on his heel and went into the lab, to be greeted by Diantha in the lobby.
"How are you?" he asked her, trying to sound happy.
"I am well, thank you," said Diantha. "Phoebe is spending the day in Coumarine with a kind elderly sailor she knew back in Hoenn, so I thought I would spend today here, with the eggs my Gardevoir laid. Sina and Dexio told me they would be in incubators on the third floor?"
"They are," answered Augustine. "I was actually on my way up there, to get some items from my office before I left for Geosenge."
The two of them approached the elevator together, and the doors opened to reveal Trevor, who was holding a clipboard and a Pokeradar. "Good morning, Professor," he said. "And Diantha," he greeted Diantha, then looked over both their shoulders to see if anyone was behind them.
"How is progress on your Burmy cloak distribution project going?" Augustine asked Trevor.
"I finished that project last week, Professor. We're focusing on Pumpkaboo sizes now," said Trevor.
"Ah, yes! Désolé, my lad," said Augustine apologetically.
"No worries, Professor. If Team Flare was keeping me for work past midnight regularly, I'd forget about the research happening in my own lab as well," said Trevor. He glanced past Augustine and Diantha again. "Um, Diantha . . . Tierno and the others are having their party tonight."
"Really?" asked Diantha, intrigued.
Trevor nodded, then glanced over at Augustine. "It's at ten o'clock tonight, same place as last time. I'm actually going to go with Shauna to talk to Clemont about it now . . . . Have a good trip, Professor." He walked past them, down another hall.
Augustine and Diantha stepped into the elevator. Diantha pressed "3" and closed the door quickly.
"I didn't know you went to their parties," commented Augustine, curious as to why Diantha was invited but he wasn't. His group of former students didn't even throw very many parties – only for special occasions and achievements. What was happening in their lives that he was missing out on?
"Tierno's trying to improve his public image as a performer, and I'm happy to help him out," said Diantha simply. "Besides, their parties are fun. Shauna mixes some very interesting drinks."
There was a pause.
"So it's true then, that Serena's in prison now," Diantha said suddenly and gravely.
Feeling something catch in his throat, Augustine nodded.
"I suppose it's a good thing that she has an adoring boyfriend who works for Team Flare that can secure her release?"
"It's not that simple," muttered Augustine.
The elevator door opened to his office, and he scurried out of the elevator before Diantha could grab his arm.
"So you're just going to let her stay there, because it's the 'simple' thing to do? If there is any hope of Team Flare going down for good this time, we need her help."
"Diantha –"
"I don't care if you're wearing a wire or if there are bugs all over this office! Augustine, you are miserable and afraid right now, I can see it even through those ridiculous goggles of yours. Do you remember what happened the last time you let your fear and insecurity lull you into inaction? Our dear friend was killed, Geosenge was destroyed, and you've spent the last three years sharing your guilt and remorse with me over the whole thing . . . . If you continue down this road of being Teleurac's puppet and doormat, there will be even more guilt and remorse waiting for you."
Her words cut him deep, and his hands started shaking again. Augustine crossed the space to a shelf that housed a variety of scientific instruments, where he located and grabbed a black box. He checked the contents of the box and saw that all the equipment inside was present and fully functional.
"The egg room is that way," he said tiredly as he pointed to a door next to the shelf.
"Thank you, Augustine . . . have a safe journey," Diantha said with stiff cordiality. She then patted him on the shoulder and went through the door he pointed out. When she was gone, he checked his watch. Dominic would come for him in around twenty minutes.
He rounded the partition and made his way to his desk. After spending a few minutes checking his e-mail and reading web articles and blog posts about how to make up with an angry girlfriend, he opened the desk drawer in front of him and started digging, intending to search for a pad of post-it notes. He pulled out pens, paper clips, staple removers, thumb tacks, rubber bands, spare scraps of paper, candies, and finally a black ring set with a multicolor stone that had the symbol of Mega Evolution engraved in it.
This had been Lysandre's Mega Ring. Augustine had visited Geosenge the day after Serena and the others had foiled Team Flare's plans there, digging through rubble for any sign of his friend. All he found was Lysandre's bloody lifeless hand sticking out from beneath a pile of rocks, the ring present on his index finger. Nobody knew he had taken it from the site, or that he had it in the back of his desk drawer for the last three years.
"Tu me manque, mon ami," he whispered solemnly as he twirled the ring between his fingers. Lysandre would enjoy what was happening – perhaps berate Teleurac for not being selective enough when it came to who lived and who died, but nonetheless celebrate the obliteration of innocent people who he would regard as selfish fools. It was no use dwelling on him, Augustine told himself. Lysandre was dead, and it was too late to save him. But it wasn't too late to save the people in his life now, he realized.
He slid the Mega Ring onto the index finger of his right hand.
As his eyes flickered over to the Mega Stones lined up on top of his shelf, his Holo Caster beeped. He answered to see it was Dominic.
"Professor, we have arrived and we are waiting outside. Make your way down here immediately, please."
Once the Flare Admin's holographic image vanished, Augustine grabbed the black box of equipment and held it under his arm. He rose to his feet, pulled a length of string with a pendant attachment out of his desk drawer, and marched by his Mega Stone shelf on the way to the elevator, picking up the Garchompite with his free hand and stashing it in his coat pocket.
Augustine, Dominic, and their team of four junior Flare scientists arrived at Geosenge that evening, just as the sun began to set. If it weren't for a flat tire and some stubborn Dugtrio forming a roadblock in the badlands, they would have arrived sooner. Each time, as Dominic got out to change the tire or deal with the Dugtrio, Augustine chided himself for passing up an opportunity to act. He had yet to give his Garchomp the Mega Stone; it was still in his pocket and it went unnoticed there.
When the truck came to a stop in front of Geosenge's Pokemon Center, Augustine scrambled out of the vehicle before Dominic even unbuckled his seatbelt. The four junior scientists, who had been riding in the back of the truck, clamored out next and started unloading the equipment that rode back there with them. Augustine noticed a few civilians poking their heads out of barely cracked-open doors and windows, curious and startled.
"Dominic," said Augustine as the Admin stepped out of the truck. "I'm going to go inside the Pokemon Center for a moment, to use the bathroom."
"Make it quick," said Dominic, not making eye contact with the Professor as he walked around to the back of the truck.
Without hesitation, Augustine walked briskly into the Pokemon Center. Several people inside eyed him nervously, and a few whispered amongst themselves. He picked out the word "backstabber" in one hushed conversation, and he felt a knot form in his chest. None of that was about to matter, he told himself.
He sent out Garchomp, and the people inside the Pokemon Center screamed and shrank back. The nurse at the counter looked at him with wide, uncertain eyes, but Augustine made himself ignore all of them.
"Remember this, mon ami?" he said to Garchomp as he pulled the Mega Stone and pendant out of his pocket. Garchomp nodded in recognition as Augustine attached the Garchompite to the pendant.
He was only a few inches shorter than Garchomp, but he still raised himself up on his toes to hang the pendant around his Pokemon's neck.
"I know we don't have much experience doing this, but we can do it. Kalos needs us . . . Serena needs us," he added, whispering this time. He swallowed hard, trying to rid the lump in his throat, and he realized that there would only be one shot at what he thought about doing. "Perhaps we should practice first, non?"
Augustine led Garchomp out of the Pokemon Center and saw that the junior scientists were still busy unloading boxes and crates of equipment while Dominic watched them. Dominic turned to see Augustine emerge, and appeared perplexed to see Garchomp out of his Pokeball.
"Professor, why is your Pokemon out? You know the Governor gave you explicit orders –"
"I don't think I'm going to follow the Governor's orders anymore," said Augustine firmly. Those words actually came out of his mouth - he astonished himself. Rebellion felt surprisingly good to him, and he wondered why he was waiting until he was in his thirties to try it out. "Garchomp, destroy that truck!"
Garchomp slammed his foot hard into the ground, shooting sharp spires of rock out from the ground from underneath the truck. The truck was launched several feet into the air, causing the Flare members to scramble out of the way before it landed upside-down on the ground with the sounds of crunching metal and shattering glass.
Dominic scoffed. "Looks like someone wants a prison cell next to his girlfriend," he sneered as he plucked a Pokeball off his belt and sent out the Beartic within.
Instantly, Augustine pressed his left index finger to the stone set in his Mega Ring. He watched as pink light erupted from his ring and from the Garchompite around his Pokemon's neck, the two bursts of light meeting to swirl and converge around Garchomp until he was completely enclosed in an ethereal sphere. Finally, the sphere exploded in another burst of light, and Mega Garchomp let out a terrifying roar as he bared his elongated claws.
He did it, Augustine thought in amazement. He actually did it. Now it was time to see what he was capable of.
"Beartic, use Icicle Crash!" Dominic commanded, trying to sound in-charge and authoritative even though he shrank back in awestruck fear of Mega Garchomp. With a swipe of its paw, Beartic formed large, sharp icicles out of thin air and sent them flying towards Garchomp, who evaded the attack by raising a wall of stone out of the ground between himself and the icicles. Each icicle hit the wall and exploded upon impact, leaving frosted and cracked spots on its surface.
Next, Garchomp pushed that wall forward and sent it flying towards Beartic. Beartic moved to get out of the way, but it was too slow; the wall slammed into the Ice-type and knocked it into the ground.
"Use Stone Edge," said Augustine. This time, the sharp spires that emerged from the ground at Beartic's feet were twice as tall as the ones that toppled the truck, striking Beartic in several places and causing it to fall to the ground with the spires. Dominic glowered at Augustine as he recalled his fainted Pokemon.
The four junior scientists had all let loose their own Pokemon: Magneton, Swalot, Clawitzer, and Dragalge. Watching Garchomp battle against Beartic energized Augustine, got his adrenaline going, as if he too could feel the power of Mega Evolution coursing through his veins. The odds were stacked against him right now, but he felt infinite and unstoppable.
"Earthquake," he directed. Garchomp drove the tips of the razor-sharp claws on his arms into the ground, leading to a localized earthquake of intense magnitude. Augustine was knocked onto his rear end while the Team Flare members braced themselves against what remained of the truck. Once the ground stopped shaking, all of Garchomp's opponents – with the exception of Clawitzer – had fainted. Clawitzer retaliated with a Dark Pulse, which hit Garchomp but did minimal damage. Garchomp had the last move, swiping his arm to land a powerful Dragon Claw against his opponent.
Dominic growled in frustration. "Everyone go heal your Pokemon now! And call for backup!" The five Flare members sprinted into the Pokemon Center, leaving Augustine alone with Garchomp.
"Good work, mon ami," he said proudly, scratching Garchomp under the chin. "We should probably get a move on before backup arrives, non?"
His Holo Caster then beeped. It was Teleurac.
"Professor, I hope your journey went well?" the Governor asked cordially.
"It was fine, thank you. Oh, and Governor . . . I quit. I mean it this time." Augustine ended the call and forcefully threw his Holo Caster onto the ground, smashing it under his heel until it broke apart into a mess of metal, plastic, and microchips. He then peeled off his red Team Flare lab coat and cast it onto the ground, leaving him dressed in his black dress shirt and slacks.
Garchomp bowed down so that Augustine could climb onto his back. Once Augustine had a secure grip on the large fin on the Pokemon's back, Garchomp reared back on his haunches and took off, arms extended like wings as he flew towards the Lumiose Badlands.