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Chapter 86
Disperse

"Argh, it was so close too!"

Marina groaned in frustration as her tossed Ultra Ball cracked and released the wild Pokémon within. The Skarmory shook, its steel feathers clanging together. It glanced at the pastel sky and turned away from the strong breeze. With a squawk, it sprinted off the rugged plateau. Marina's Fearow shifted its body mid-flight in pursuit.

"Wait, wait!" She called out and reached for her belt. The gusty mountain winds shoved hair in her face. She cringed, blinded. "It's running! Muu-chan! Mean Look!"

But by the time her Misdreavus popped out of her Poké Ball, the Skarmory had well taken advantage of its tailwind. Its figure was small, disappearing behind a cliff. The last thing she could see was its glossy, sharp wings reflecting the morning light.

The girl sighed and sat on the cold, gray rocks. "There goes another one..."

Her two teammates hopped and fluttered over, and Marina briefly smiled at them before taking off her backpack. The open right-hand pocket, which contained her extra Poké Balls, was almost empty. She'd long run out of the custom ones that Jackson had given her, and all that remained were several Great and Ultra Balls.

Rarer Pokémon really are harder to catch, she thought. Maybe I should give up on it for now.

Blackthorn City wasn't for the weak of heart. Even Route 45, her current location, was filled with experienced Ace Trainers, hardy Hikers, and persistent wild Pokémon. She still won more than she lost, but not by much. Soon, she'd have to start picking between healing items and catching items. Not that she didn't have anything saved up; there was plenty she'd sent back home for safekeeping.

Home...

She looked down at her PokéGear. Zipping up her backpack, she picked it up and turned toward Kenya.

"Let's fly to Blackthorn!"

Kenya opened his wings and carried her on his back. Muu-chan kept up behind them as they took off into the air.

The rough environment sprawled below them. Littered with sparse vegetation, it was a path comprised of nothing but steep ledges. Once one started trekking down Route 45, flying was the only way back to the city. The hills and steep roads gave Marina a constant workout, teaching her how to keep better footing. After the few weeks of being there, she'd gotten used to it. She spent so much time outdoors, in fact, that the flat floors of the Pokémon Center felt strange to her.

Her mind wandered as she landed in front of the red-roofed building.

I wonder if I should call Kenta... It's been a while.

Kenta had a tougher time faring in the area. Amusingly, it still excited him, but he had to leave to rack up wins elsewhere. He'd promised her that he would go to Violet City to do research at some point. When they chatted on the phone, most of the time he was trying to earn badges.

She felt eager to see him again. He liked reading more than she did, and she wondered if he'd discover something. Pairing up with him for Double Battles was a lot of fun, too. It made her wish she'd run into him earlier on her journey—under normal circumstances, of course.

Marina strolled inside the Pokémon Center after recalling her teammates. Now that she was a regular, the other Trainers didn't stare as much. Instead, some friendly glances were cast her way. Slowly, she had acclimated to living in the same place where many veterans trained. She'd even gained a bit of a reputation because of her age. Finding people who'd battle her seriously wasn't an issue anymore.

"Don't you realize it makes you just the same as they are?"

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Hostile voices caught her ears, and she turned toward the source. Her eyes opened wide in surprise.

Kenta stood in the hallway talking to a boy with unmistakable red hair.

"You think you can call me weak?" Silver snarled. "You, of all people?"

"If you treat your Pokémon the same as Team Rocket does, and you still call them weak, then you're calling yourself that," Kenta retorted. One of his hands clenched.

Silver crossed his arms, and his narrow eyes glared. He said nothing. Panic throbbed in Marina's heart. She remembered when she'd seen him in Mahogany Town. The boy's silence worried her more than his words. She rushed over to them.

I better step in before they really start fighting...!

"Pokémon are your teammates, not your slaves. It's common sense that you treat them with—!"

"Kenta!" she cheerfully exclaimed. "You didn't tell me you'd be coming back!"

Kenta stopped mid-sentence. He looked at her with surprise.

"Oh, M-Marina." His shoulders relaxed a bit at her presence. Still, he threw a cautious look at the other boy before responding. "Sorry, I should've called you."

"No, that's fine! I'm happy you're back!" Marina turned to Silver. He met her eyes without moving. She offered a smile, which he deflected with a turn of his head. "What were you two talking about?"

"Well, uh," Kenta sounded strained and awkward trying to explain, "it wasn't anything much."

"Your friend took something from me and refused to give it back," Silver said.

She turned back to Kenta. "What?"

"No, it's—! I didn't take it; I found it on the ground."

"Then you started lecturing me..." Silver grumbled.

Kenta rubbed the back of his neck, looking troubled. Marina put her hands on her hips.

"Kenta, if that's true, then you should give it back."

"I know... Here."

He lifted and opened his hand. Marina saw a glimpse of an intricate metal bell before it was snatched away. Silver pocketed the item. Without another word, he turned away and began heading for the exit. She bit her lips and bounded after him.

"Silver, hold on!" His long hair continued to flick about as she tried to catch up. "Sorry, but can you give me your number again? I got a new phone so my contact list's empty."

Silver glanced over his shoulder and stopped, presumably having gained enough distance from the other boy. He scowled at her for a moment.

"Why don't you get it from your old phone?"

"It's broken. I was fighting Team Rocket, and they smashed it."

"...In Mahogany Town? This is why I told you to stop messing with them."

"Well," she giggled nervously, "it was after that."

He clicked his tongue.

"They were trying to catch Raikou with this strange machine that drained electricity. And they were talking about bounties too."

"Bounties?"

"Yeah. So, um..." She took off her PokéGear and held it by her cheek. "Please?"

Silver looked at her with a face that she couldn't exactly figure out. Despite his lack of response, she stood there looking at him pleadingly. He turned away.

"I don't get you," he mumbled.

"What?"

A charcoal-colored phone appeared inches from her nose.

"Make it quick."

She smiled. "Thanks!"

As soon as the exchange was made, Silver stowed his PokéGear and exited the building. Though Marina bid him farewell, he ignored her. He seemed in a better mood than before, at least. She sighed a bit before walking back to Kenta. He appeared perplexed.

"You got his number?"

"Well, yeah." Lifting her index finger, she proclaimed, "He's my rival! I had his number on my old phone, too. We have to keep tabs on each other, you know!"

"Oh..."

An awkward pause passed over them.

"He's really not that bad, Kenta," she began. "I ran into him a lot on my journey, and he helped me plenty of times. Silver's just...going through a tough time right now."

Kenta avoided her gaze and slipped his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. "If you say so... But just now, out of nowhere he mocked me for how I treated my Pokémon. That attitude...I can't stand it. He has your Totodile."

"That was never my Totodile. He told me that he called dibs on it from the start. And it's true! He's got a Pokédex and everything. I saw it when I was exploring the Ruins of Alph with him."

"Yeah...I heard from Jackson, too. I don't know why Professor Elm didn't tell us..."

Seeing Kenta's discomfort, Marina opted to change the subject a bit.

"So um, about what you picked up. Was it some kind of ball?"

"No, it was a bell," Kenta replied. He looked back at her.

"A bell?"

"I saw it on the floor. I thought it looked similar to a bell I saw Raikou carrying around, so I wanted to get a better look at it."

"Raikou had a bell?!" Marina gasped. She covered her mouth and watched the exit doors in vain.

"It did. The bell was small and gold, and it was tied up in Raikou's mane. When I tried to untangle it, Raikou snapped at me."

Curiosity plucked at her nerves. Uncertain, she frowned.

"That's so weird...because..."

"What is it?"

"A bell...I had a special bell with me when I fought Suicune. I actually saw Suicune a few times before that, but it only spoke to me when I had the Crystal Bell. I wonder if they look the same?"

"Really? Could you show me?"

"Well, no; it's at the Tin Tower now. Suicune told me to put it there."

"Huh." Even Kenta looked in the same direction she did. "I guess it's a coincidence..."

"Yeah, I guess so—."

Digital ringing interrupted her, and she remembered the phone in her hand. She grinned, turning the screen toward her friend.

"Speaking of Professor Elm," she said and answered the call. "Hi, Professor! What's up?"

"Oh, ah, how are you, Marina?"

"Good! I'm with Kenta right now in Blackthorn City."

"Hey, Professor," Kenta spoke up wearing a warm grin.

"Kenta, good to hear from you! Did you say you were in Blackthorn City? That's somewhat close to New Bark."

"Yeah. We've been thinking about dropping by sometime soon."

"Do you need anything?" Marina asked.

"Ah, yes. Dropping by right now would be very nice, actually," Professor Elm said. "Marina, Amber hasn't been...adjusting very well to the laboratory."

"What? But I just saw Silver."

"What?"

Marina paused, confused. Despite the Professor clearly saying Amber, her mind immediately went to her redheaded rival. She felt her body drain of energy as she stood very still. A memory lingered at the tip of her tongue before she managed to grasp it.

Bells and...fireworks? She twisted her lips in confusion.

"Marina?"

The girl snapped out of her trance. She looked at Kenta in alarm, and he seemed just as confused if not more so than her.

"S-Sorry," she called into the phone. "I totally just spaced out. We just saw Silver, you know him right? So you know, guess I had him on the mind, haha. What about Amber?"

"Y-Yes," Elm stuttered. "Caroline's offered to take in Amber, but Amber's gotten so riled up that I fear she might hurt someone or herself. Could you calm her down and take her to your mother yourself?"

"Oh...!"

That's right, she's never been apart from me like this before, she thought.

"Sure, I can do that! The poor thing must think I just disappeared."

"I'd appreciate it. We've tried every trick in the book and nothing's worked to help her."

"It's okay!" Marina turned toward Kenta. "Is it fine if we head out now? I know you just got here."

"It's fine." His face brightened at the thought of returning to their hometown. "I haven't even checked in yet. I'm ready to go."

"Okay, Professor, we'll be on our way!"

"Great, we'll be looking forward to seeing you both!"

After Marina hung up, she healed her Pokémon and gathered her things from her room. A funny feeling hung in her gut. But she perked herself up and headed outside where Kenta was waiting.

"So! Are we flying or walking?" Marina asked.

"It might take a while by foot," Kenta responded. "We wouldn't be in New Bark Town until at least the day after tomorrow."

"Really? I've never traveled the entire length of Route 45..."

"We can fly to the bottom of Route 46, and then walk through Route 29 back home. Does that sound good?"

Marina's eyes shimmered. "Yeah! Let's do that!"

With that friendly compromise, the young Trainers sent out their bird Pokémon and flew into the early afternoon sky. While Kenta's Pidgeot carried him on his back with ease, Marina's Fearow held a secure grip on her shoulders. Marina found it to be more comfortable for longer flights. Kenya's smaller frame made riding on his back a tad awkward. It took a while to get used to hanging over the empty air, but now she found it invigorating.

Soaring over Route 45 again, Marina noticed several Trainers scouring the area or battling. The suggestion to fly was very reasonable. Fighting the Trainers alone would send Marina and Kenta back to Blackthorn's Pokémon Center many times over. It was why she could never make it to the bottom of the mountain range.

I probably would've come up with the same idea once we started battling people, she thought with a smile. Neither of us would be able to resist other people challenging us! I'm glad Kenta thought ahead.

Pines and hardy brush bloomed into bright leafy greens, and they landed partway through Route 29. The breeze grew gentle, the area quiet. Marina stretched and giggled at the sight.

"Wow...!"

"I know; pretty nostalgic, isn't it?" Kenta asked, nudging the dirt path with his foot and wearing a soft smile. "It's been so long..."

Marina hugged his arm. "It has! I almost can't believe it."

He laughed awkwardly, and they proceeded to follow the path eastward. The calming air caused them to walk slowly, lost in their thoughts.

The girl looked out over a hill, seeing the vast plains on one side and thicker forests from behind. It was funny. Even after almost a year, she still remembered Route 29 so clearly. At the time, expanding beyond these familiar sights alone was so new and even a little frightening. Now, she could travel through new places without batting an eye...unless it involved actual bats, of course. She also still got lost easily without a map. But aside from that, it was easy.

Kenta stopped. "Oh, right. I wanted to say something first, before we get back home."

"What is it?" She gasped. "Oh! Did you find anything out?"

"Yeah, I did. First, I looked up Deoxys and Latios at Earl's Pokémon Academy. They're both species of Pokémon. Here, I printed out pictures for you."

"Really?!" Marina clasped her hands together, watching as he pulled out two pieces of paper from his backpack. She took and unfolded them. On one page was Latios, a blue and white Pokémon with sleek, unusual wings. On the other page was a bizarre, orange creature. It had a human-like arm on one side of its torso, and tentacles on the other.

"Well? Is it the same?"

She nodded.

"...And Latios?"

"Exactly like it. It was dark in the Burned Tower, but I'm sure he looked like this."

"...Before that?"

Marina slowly looked up at him, then back down. Her repressed memories were fuzzy at best. However, such a unique Pokémon was hard to forget.

"But there was a red one, too," she said.

"Yeah, actually, and it's known as Latias. Latios and Latias are Pokémon that travel in groups together. They're more elusive than rare, but they're intelligent enough to understand human speech without issue."

She focused on the orange Pokémon. Its static eyes stared off into the distance, but it seemed as though its arms would move at any moment. Her throat felt dry, and she swallowed hard.

"What about Deoxys?"

"It's very rare," Kenta explained. "Apparently, it's the result of some sort of space virus."

"Where was this one found...?"

"It's been in the hands of Hoenn researchers for a decade. I didn't read anything about it escaping or something; there was even recent news about its abilities. The one you saw in Goldenrod City might be another one entirely."

"You think so?" Marina folded the papers again and handed them back to him. Looking at them made her uncomfortable.

"There were some sightings of it in Kanto news articles a few years ago."

She gasped. "Then it must be!"

"Yeah."

"But why did you tell me this now? We probably could've asked Professor Elm about it."

Kenta tentatively adjusted his hat.

"Well...there's something else." He took out his PokéGear. "Since Violet City's near the Ruins of Alph, I looked into the Unown too. They give off radio waves, and researchers think they're communicating with each other in that frequency. I even tested it out myself.

"So, you said your Lapras's old Poke Ball was really an illusion made by the Unown, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then I just want to check something first."

Kenta rotated and clicked a button on his PokéGear. Static blared, and he turned the nob all the way. Voices faded in and out, then nothing for a while. Until suddenly, it picked up squeaking and humming. Marina recognized some of the sounds as Unown. But it had an almost eerie beat to it. She watched the phone in wonder. He stopped tuning the radio, frowning.

"I knew it. They're still here."

"Still here?" Marina looked at him quizzically. "But don't the Unown just talk through radio waves?"

"Yes, but they have to be nearby. I've checked everywhere I went, and the only other time I heard this radio signal was at the Ruins of Alph."

Kenta regarded her with concern, and Marina felt chills run down her spine.

"You mean..." She pointed at herself. "They're still with me somewhere?!"

"That's the only thing it could mean."

"But...But what...I only remember the Poké Ball..." She searched around herself, glancing at her bag. "If anything, I lost my Neo Ball that day. That's the only other thing that changed!"

"What about the choker?"

Marina met Kenta's navy eyes. Slowly, she touched the fabric of her turtleneck. After the conversation they had on their first day at Blackthorn City, she told him about the choker she'd received from Deoxys—and the nightmares she had afterward.

"But I got this choker before going to the ruins," she said.

"But you've had dreams about the Unown and Maya...so it might just be an illusion."

"I never thought about that..." She paused, deep in thought. "Why would Deoxys have something like this, in the first place?"

"I don't know," Kenta admitted. "I do think it has something to do with the favor it asked of you."

"I thought maybe Maya needed help... But, well, if this choker was made of Unown, what then?"

"...We should take it off."

Marina shook her head. "We can't! Cilice said to leave it on, and if we do anything, it might disappear."

"If we can cut it without disturbing the Unown, then it should be fine."

She lightly placed both her hands on her neck. Her gaze turned downward. The radio's enigmatic tune gurgled without end. She became cold with paranoia. Still, she took a step back. Noticing this, Kenta immediately turned it off.

"I'm just worried, Marina," he said. "You said it's tightened to the point you couldn't even breathe. I think we should keep it too, if possible—but what if it doesn't loosen one day?"

"...It hasn't done that in a while."

"You thought it happened in Mahogany Town, though, right?"

She nodded. The nightmares themselves hadn't happened since December, over four months ago. Visions of her dreams, and the recollections written in her diary, flashed through her mind.

That poor girl...was this...was Maya really an illusion, too? I don't know anymore...

The boy sighed. He hesitated, but pulled her arms away from her collar. She looked at him sadly.

"What about Deoxys?" she asked. "If we mess up..."

"I don't know, but Marina, it's just not safe to keep wearing it like this."

She took a deep breath, feeling the band against her neck.

"Okay," she yielded. "Let's give it a shot. How do we cut it off without making all the Unown disappear?"

"With a Dark-type move of some sort," he replied. "Psychic-types have no effect on Dark-types. Maybe if we use a little bit of Dark-type energy, the choker will come apart at that one point. The only other option is normal scissors, but since you said that a feather was enough to cause them all to go away..."

"Then scissors are no good."

"Yeah."

Marina closed her eyes. The soft breeze and distant chirping of Pidgey relaxed her. She felt far, far safer without that Unown melody playing. Reaching for her belt, she grabbed Prince's ball. Kenta backed away as her Espeon appeared at their feet.

"Prince still knows how to use Bite from when he was an Eevee. That might work," she explained and knelt on the ground. Her fingers trembled a bit as she folded down her collar. She beckoned Prince close, and he merrily sat on her lap. She ran her hand down his soft, lavender fur.

"If it turns out that it isn't an illusion," Kenta said, "then we'll figure out what else it might be."

She giggled. "Ehe, I guess we'll find out pretty quick when it breaks. Okay Prince, use Bite on this."

Prince tilted his head. She tucked a finger under the black choker, tugging it as far as it could stretch. Though puzzled, he obeyed and grasped the band in his little fangs. His ears twitched about.

"Eif," he uttered a muffled grunt.

"Gentle, gentle," she reminded.

He pulled slightly at first. With each unsuccessful tug, he applied more pressure. The band began to slip from his mouth, and he bit down a little.

Something cracked, and high-pitched screeching erupted from all around. Marina cried out as blackness engulfed her. A violent rush of wind surrounded her as if she was trapped in a tornado. Glimpses of round, white eyes swimming upward revealed the forms of hundreds of Unown. She felt pinned down inside herself. Air couldn't reach her lungs, no matter how much she gasped. It was as though someone was tightly gripping her throat with only a finger and thumb.

Then, she couldn't see anything at all. A violet, cloudy void she had seen many times in her subconscious filled her sight. The girl with dark hair—.

"Marina!"

"Eif! Eif!"

She saw Kenta's red and white jacket. Sunlight returned, revealing the peace of Route 29. The Unown's squeaks became distant. She coughed and craned her neck upward. A large cluster of them hovered in the air, disappearing in globs of light until none were left.

"Are you okay?!"

Kenta pulled away, holding her by the shoulders to keep her upright. Beside him, Prince whined.

Marina didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do. She was lightheaded, finally able to breathe. But she felt empty, and part of her neck felt cold in the breeze. Even though she could never see it without a mirror, she knew the rose choker was no longer there. Regret washed over her.

I never got to say sorry...

Radio static caught her ears. Marina finally looked away from the sky to see her friend using his PokéGear again. Meaningless white noise was all it picked up now. He took a deep breath and looked back at her worriedly.

"Are you okay?" he asked again.

She nodded and smiled, trying to cover up her anxiety. "Y-Yeah! That really surprised me! There were so many of them... It looked like it was suddenly nighttime."

"I'm sorry. I hoped that wouldn't happen. We tried to be careful."

"No, it's...it's okay."

She turned her gaze back to the sky, where a wave of billowy gray clouds moved in from the west. Part of her couldn't help but feel dread.

I think so...I hope so.

A/N: See you Wednesday!