Chapter 16: Mythical Skies
"That's an interesting story," Tails said the next morning. Everyone, including Iris and Cilan, were on board the Tornado NX as it flew towards Sinnoh.
"Yeah," Hoopa agreed. "I wonder why Moltres attacked us."
"It was probably just protecting itself," Ash shrugged. "That's what Pokemon do, after all."
"It wasn't like that."
Everyone looked at Hoopa, startled by his words. "What?" Ash said.
"I could sense Moltres' thoughts, and they weren't at all natural. Something strange was going on, something unnatural. It was almost like it was being controlled by an external force."
"Something unnatural," Sonic repeated, putting his bandaged chin in his hand. "Like it was being controlled?"
"Do you think that this unnatural phenomenon was man-made?" Cilan asked.
"Probably," Hoopa nodded. "There's no other way I couldn't recognize it."
Ash and Sonic looked at each other with the same expression and nodded. "It was Eggman," they said in unison.
The moment they did so, the stone in Ash's necklace glowed slightly again. "Ah!" Ash exclaimed. "There it is again!"
"Whoa!" Iris exclaimed. "What is that? And since when were you into jewelry?"
"I'm not sure what it is," Ash replied. "And I'm not big on jewelry. We're just holding onto this thing because it made some Rhyhorn go berserk. This is the second time it's glowed in the last 24 hours. It glowed after Greninja and I synchronized last night, and now again."
"It hurts my eyes," Serena grumbled, blinking rapidly.
"It's not even that bright," Bonnie teased her with a grin. "It's so pretty."
"Whatever," Serena shrugged. "Anyways, if Eggman's behind Moltres' attack, then we've got big trouble on our hands."
"Nothing we can't handle," Clemont grinned, putting his hands on his hips. "Right guys?"
"Right!" Ash grinned.
"Well, let's keep our course set," Tails said. "We're heading for Sinnoh's Lily of the Valley Island."
"Lily of the Valley Island," Ash nodded, looking out the window. "It's been a long time since we were last there, right Pikachu?"
"Pikachu," Pikachu nodded.
The Lily of the Valley Conference is an annual event, where the strongest trainers in Sinnoh gather to battle. Several years ago, Ash participated in this conference where, to my knowledge, he had his best showing to date. He finished in the Top 4, only getting knocked out by a trainer whose Darkrai should have been banned. As the conference, at the time described above, would not be held for several months' time, the island was rather quiet.
Nevertheless, the island attracts many tourists each year in its downtime. I myself have paid several visits to the island. More often than not, when I do visit, I am joined by Cynthia, the Champion of Sinnoh. Her fascination with mythology is unparalleled, and, to be quite honest, it makes me slightly uncomfortable. Regardless, I am always glad to assist her in her research.
This particular time, however, we were accompanied by someone else who I would have turned away if not for Cynthia.
"What a strange phenomenon," she said to herself as she examined the wildlife in the "uncivilized" areas.
"Oh?" I said, arms folded behind my back as usual. "What makes you say that?"
"The Pokemon are sluggish and irritable," she replied. "They regard one another with hostility. But why?"
"Hm," our third companion hummed, eyes closed. Then they opened again, revealing their detestable crimson hue. "You appear to be right, Cynthia. There is a strange phenomenon at work here: perhaps stranger than you think."
"Is that right?" she said.
"Hmph," I said. "I have little patience for this. We didn't come here to listen to the musings of a detestable hedgehog."
"Mordecai, please!" Cynthia chided me. "I trust Shadow knows what he's talking about. He has experience with this, after all."
"Hmm," I said, grumbling.
"I don't really understand what's going on," Shadow muttered, bending down and skimming his hand over the ground.
"Is there anything you can understand?" Cynthia asked.
"Yes," Shadow replied, turning to face us. "There is a mysterious energy hidden beneath the surface of this island. It's very different from the Chaos energy I use. But what is it?"
A small smirk appeared on Cynthia's face. "So this is it," she said. "All this time, it's been here of all places."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, puzzled.
"I've recently taken interest in a type of energy that's foreign to my knowledge," she explained. "I've read up on it, and while I've discovered that it can be found in very rare, very small pools at various places throughout the world, it is only native to one region that's remained relatively secluded from the rest of the world."
"And what kind of energy is it?" Shadow asked.
She looked at him with a youthful twinkle in her eye. "Gaia energy."
The Tornado NX was hovering over Lily of the Valley Island now, with Ash and his friends standing next to an exit on the plane. "Don't forget your parachute this time, Ash," Tails called jokingly.
"Very funny," Ash winked back. "All right, everyone. Get ready!"
With that, the door to the plane opened. Then, one by one, everyone jumped out of the plane, arms and legs spread out. They were cheering in exhilaration. Ash was the last to jump out, hat flipped back with a bright blue skydiving suit. Pikachu jumped right next to him.
"Whooooooo!" he cheered. "This is awesome!"
"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.
"All right, Pikachu," he said. "You know what to do! Use Thunderbolt!"
"Piiiiikaaaaa...CHUUUUUUUUU!" Pikachu obeyed, unleashed a moderate Thunderbolt attack. The energy that he unleashed appeared in the sky as a beautiful lightning bolt.
"Yeah, way to go!" Ash cheered. More incredible bolts of lightning appeared all around them. "Aw, yeah! This is happening!" The bolts continued to appear. Then Ash turned to Pikachu to tell him to stop, as they were approaching the ground. But when he saw his best friend, he was unconscious.
"Ah! Pikachu!" he cried, swimming through the air to get to him.
"YOU!"
The voice shocked Ash, and he whipped around to face a mysterious figure completely shrouded in darkness. "What?!"
"GIVVVVE MEEEE THE STONNNNNNE!" the figure shouted, reaching for him.
"GAAAHHHHH!"