Hiatus, Day 107
In addition to their primary message in the sky, Jessie and James's old friends were filled with stories and information about Annastasia, Michio, and the monster fusion that no one else had. For once Jessie was grateful that Meowth and Lucy had taught Lily and Logan how to speak human; now they could interpret everything the bug Pokemon shared.
"They're also saying that they can sometimes send messages from far away, in a special language that only Volbeat and Illumise understand," Logan translated. "They draw light patterns in the sky that just looks like scribbles to other Pokémon and humans, but it means special things to the Volbeat and Illumise."
"That is really awesome, Volbeat," said May said as she patted its head. "Communication seems to be the biggest issue we have. We can't rely on cell phones up to communicate with our friends and families in Toka, and our new mini airplane messaging system doesn't work too well in the mountains either. The best we can do is the teleporter we showed you, but that only works if the person you are trying to reach happens to be in a place that also has a teleporter and that isn't many."
"Illumise lumise mise mise," the leader responded.
"She says that while Pokémon have special powers and abilities, humans have the ability to invent and create things," said Lily. "I agree, but that isn't always true. Sometimes Pokémon can be good inventors. Like my dad. And sometimes humans have cool abilities like psychic powers or aura."
"I got something to say," Jay chimed.
"Yes?" said Jessie.
"Volbeat and Illumise can make a note in the sky in their special language. The Volbeat and Illumise that are still in Toka can see it and tell Annastasia what it says since she can understand Pokémon."
Several of the guests praised his idea. Jessie turned to the chief Illumise.
"This could be a lifesaver. Will you do it?"
"Illumise Illumise mise."
"She wants to help," said Maya.
"Tonight then. We'll tell her that we haven't given up and that we want her to tell us everything she can about where she is and how and what she's doing."
XO
Later that night, after the Volbeat and Illumise had scripted and ignited their coded messages, Amber and Jay sat on the roof of the Pallet House. Amber was sharpening her arrows while Jay lied watching the stars. Togetic, Pip, Meganium, and Pidgeot were sleeping in a pile between the two of them.
"I see Tauros!" Jay yelled suddenly, pointing upward. "Look, Amb!"
Amber lifted her eyes to the sky. "It's pretty…"
"I have been looking for that constellation forever. Papa and I came out here all the time last winter and he tried to show me but I never saw it."
"Oh yeah. I remember you mentioned that one time after we went sledding off the rooftop and landed in the giant pile of snow. And then we tried it again and almost missed, but Aliyah stopped us with her psychic power before we broke our necks or smash our heads into the driveway. Ah, good times."
Jay shuddered at the idea. "…anyway, I wanted to find the Tauros constellation even more since I have two Tauros now."
"Congrats."
"Is anyone up here?" they heard June call. A moment later she appeared, Takeshi behind her.
"How...?" Jay asked. "Only Morgan kids and Amb know how to get up here."
"You left the trap door open," said Takeshi.
Amber flicked Jay in the middle of the head. "Now they know where our secret place is. They're going to use it to come up here and kiss. Yuck."
Jay rubbed his forehead where Amber flicked him. "It wasn't me; Pip was the last one through. He should know better by now."
"Pika pi!" Pip replied angrily.
June and Takeshi laughed at Jay and Amber while they fumed.
"What?" they yelled in unison.
"Is that why you come up here, to kiss?" June giggled.
"No!" Amber shrieked. "He only likes boys."
"I mean 'only' is a little intense," Jay said quietly. He held up his hands defensively. "I-I was just looking for the Tauros constellation and she followed me like always."
"If that's true then why are you acting so defensive about it?" Takeshi grinned.
"This just got so weird," said Amber. "Jay, are you saying you swing both ways?"
"Togetic, Meganium, let's go to bed," Jay said awkwardly as he looked at the wristwatch he wasn't wearing "It's late."
Jay pushed past June and Takeshi and rushed through the tiny door.
"What was that?" June asked after they were sure he and the Pokémon were gone.
Amber picked up her arrows and bow and returned her sleeping Pidgeot to its Pokéball.
"That means 'yes' in Jay," she sighed. "I wonder who he likes now. It's probably Soledad. He was sad when she left the group. It's weird to imagine him liking a girl. All his other crushes were guys. This is like some messed up AU. So much for that big gay wedding we were both looking forward to."
Amber returned the rest of her Pokémon. June tapped her shoulder when she noticed how Amber was taking care to avoid eye contact.
"I think you just scared him," said June. "Did you ever think he might like-like his best friend?"
"Jay would've told me," she abruptly replied. "He tells me about all his crushes all the time and that's that."
"I dare you to go ask him," said Takeshi.
"Challenge accepted."
"Wait…hold on," said June. "Just talk to him the way you always do. Don't listen to Takeshi; you might hurt Jay's feelings."
"Yeah, I think you should follow June's advice," Takeshi confessed.
Instead of responding, Amber and Pip climbed through the trap floor. June and Takeshi followed Amber and Pip all the way out of the hotel and into Jay's house. Jessie was lying on the couch with some of her Pokémon.
"What are you doing in here?" she asked the trio. "Isn't it like your bedtime or something?"
"Did Jay come running through here a few moments ago?" June inquired.
"Yeah. What did you do to him this time? I tried to talk to him but he shut his door on me. I was going to wait a few minutes and then go talk to him."
"We'll take care of that for you," said Amber. "Stay here."
Jessie, as suspicious as always, wasn't just gonna let the kids handle Jay on their own.
"Okay, Arbok," she whispered after they left. "I want you to spy on them. Bring one of those listening devices—the usual."
The snake hissed in agreement. When the kids reached the top of the stairs, Amber turned to June and Takeshi.
"Are you two planning on coming in or listening at the door?" she asked.
"We'll wait out here and mind our own business until you tell us to come in," June replied.
"K…thanks."
Amber softly knocked on Jay's bedroom door. To her surprise, the door opened immediately. Rather than sulking, Jay had changed into his pajamas, complete with Wobbuffet slippers, and there was no evidence of tears on or around his mascaraed eyes.
"I was hoping you would come by," he said pleasantly.
Amber shut the door behind her. "So, you're not upset?"
"Actually, I'm the one who's sorry. I was all dramatic about it. I didn't mean to be—that's just how I am."
"Yeah, when you don't know what to say or do you get extra weird. But you don't have to apologize: you've always been a drama queen. Or king. Or whatever. I kinda saw it coming."
Jay sat on his bed next to Togetic and Pip.
"What I meant before was that I am still figuring a lot of this out. I have liked guys for as long as I could remember.…but I like all kinds of people really. Annastasia understands a little. She says what I feel is not that unusual, but I think it is. My parents say the same thing. I just wish I wasn't the only one I knew who was like this."
"Um, okay…well, I'm no expert…"
She sat beside him and remarked again on how as much as she loved him, she didn't have a quick and easy solution to his love dilemmas.
"I know it seems all random probably but it's been on my mind for a while," said Jay. "Like…since this journey began."
Togetic prompted Jay to share more, but he declined.
"I think about all these things we are a lot," said Amber. "Kids, friends, archers, trainers, boys, girls, siblings, bffs, siblings, battlers, rivals, caretakers, cousins, neighbors, and just like everything else, it's like we're all a lotta stuff. And I think that we can rearrange all those labels anyway we want. So, you can be my gay best friend, my bi best friend, my straight best friend, my ace best friend, my half girl, half boy best friend, or anything else best friend as long as you don't demote me to 'acquaintance'. If that happens…you might break my heart a little. And don't let anyone else tell you what you are or are not. That's even more important."
"I don't think there's anything more important to me that having you as my girl-archer-trainer-rival-caretaker-probably straight best friend," Jay replied. "And I won't break your heart. Not on purpose."
"Well, since that's not something someone like you can do on accident, then that's promising to me. Ditto."
"And, like, I do like you. I need you. I can't handle this world on my own, especially now that A's not around—even if she's okay—she's not okay enough until she's back for good—and now have two baby siblings coming…and I don't want them to think I'm a wuss who can't take care of himself."
Amber put her arm around him. "They're going to think that anyway. At least when it comes to anything sports-related. By the time they are ten-year-olds, no doubt you'll be a Pokémon master, just like A."
"You think I can do it?"
"Definitely. By the time you are A's age and the twins are Jocelyn's age, you will be the number one Pokémon League Champion in the world, I'll be the number one Grand League Archery Champion in the world. You, me, and our Pokémon are gonna be known in every region."
"I like that future."
"Then believe in it."
"Stranger things have happened. Especially around here."
"Great. So…I'm all out of pep talk for tonight. I'm going to bed."
"K. 'Night."
"'Night."
Amber shut the door behind her and found Takeshi and June asleep in the hallway, using each other's shoulders as pillows. She shook them awake.
"You scared me," Takeshi moaned as he rubbed his eyes.
"How long were we asleep?" June yawned.
"It couldn't have been that long," Amber replied. "I was only in there for like ten minutes. I'm going to bed. Wanna walk with me?"
"Sure," said Takeshi.
"Ditto," said June. She lowered her voice. "Was Jay really hurt?"
"Nah, he was just being Jay: awkward, confused, and dramatic."
"Did he say that he likes you?"
"Of course, he likes me. It's not like we have to choose whether we want to like someone in one way or another."
"I don't get it," said Takeshi. "Is this a girl thing?"
"I don't get it either," said June.
"We can just all like each other and not worry about what we call it," said Amber. "Annastasia told us that once. And Annastasia has never been in an exclusive relationship before, which makes her the most qualified to give advice."
"Or the least qualified," said Takeshi. He coughed. "Well, technically speaking. Actually, I think A's kinda an exception to every rule."
"I get it," said June. "And that might be true, but I still want people to know that Takeshi's my boyfriend."
"Same. Oh, um, the reverse…I mean…I want people to know June's the girlfriend…"
"I get it," Amber assured him.
"So, is Jay your boyfriend?" June asked. "Sorry—this is the last time I'll bring it up ever."
Amber shrugged. "I don't know exactly what we're gonna call it, but 'bffs' has worked the last 10+ years, so I guess that's the default."
"Cool."
All their rooms were right next to each other on the first floor. June's was first, and she was about to enter when she stopped.
"I think we might have left that door open," she told the others. "The one to the roof. Oops…I'm so sorry. I think my Pokémon and I were the last ones out."
"I'll get it," Amber offered. "You people go to bed."
"Are you sure? I feel bad…I mean I could be wrong, maybe we did shut it."
"Don't feel bad. I kinda wanna walk around more anyway. See ya."
"Thanks. See ya."
"'Night," said Takeshi.
"'Night," Amber replied.
When Amber got to the trap door, she discovered that June was right; it was open, though Amber was certain it was shut when they had left. She was about to close it but then she heard something and decided to investigate.
"What the heck?!" Amber exclaimed when she saw who was there.
"Pikapi!"
Jay was once again lying on the roof, staring at the stars, this time picking at his guitar. None of his Pokémon were with him.
"I thought you were going to sleep," she remarked.
"I wasn't tired, so I came back," he murmured. "And I wanted to talk to you again."
Amber pulled out her phone. "There are no messages of you asking me to join you on the roof."
"I just had a hunch you'd come back."
Amber lied beside him. "How did you slip past your mom?"
"She let me go. She said something weird like 'Arbok and I approve' and told me to get back within an hour. What's with all the questions?"
"I'm not used to you being smooth."
"Ha. So, if you didn't expect to see me here, then you'd you come?"
"June thought she left the door open and I felt like I needed a walk anyway so offered to make sure it was closed."
"It was."
"Thought so."
Jay let go of his guitar and let it rest on his stomach. He continued to look at the stars. This time Amber noted thin tears even though he kept the grin on his face.
"You're thinking about A," said Amber.
"A always put me before herself," he sighed. "She'd miss a meal, a meeting, a mission, workout, a fun get-together with friends—just to help me with something. She gave everything she could and then some. I want to know everything that's happening to her, the good and the bad, just as she always wanted to do with me."
Amber put her arm around him and leaned in closer, the way Annastasia always did and the way she herself has been doing since Jay's 'little kid' problems became impactful, sometimes adult problems.
"A's my role model too," said Amber. "I always wanted to be like her. You said once—more than once—that I'm just like her, but I'm not. I got a long way to go before I reach her level of perfection."
"Maybe you'll never be 'her level of perfection' but you'll be Amb, and Amb's always been good enough for me," said Jay. "And you have your own sorta perfect."
"Thanks. I think."
"I meant it to be a compliment."
"I know. You never gotta explain that. And for the record, you're kinda perfect too, in all your weird, gay, ADD ways."
Jay laughed, then his mind wondered to a previous topic. "This is gonna sound really weird…but I think Michio's sorta mine. Role model, I mean. I know he made a lot of mistakes and it doesn't seem like we have anything in common, but A once said there's a lot I could learn from him. She didn't even say 'a guy like him'. She said him. And he came back from a lot. Do you ever think of stuff like that?"
"Probably not as much as you do."
"His parents don't like him. I can't imagine that. And he took all those risks and even though he acted all rude when he joined our group, he was still doing good. I mean, he had to do a lot of work to not be addicted to alcohol and drugs anymore. My mom said that's really hard to do. She said it wayyy before she met Michio, but I think it applies to him too since he had that problem too."
"He's not so bad. Don't tell anyone this, but I miss when he's gone and I kinda hope that when A gets back, he'll stay."
"Ditto."
Pip cuddled up to Amber and Jay. They scratched between his ears.
"I think Scarlett is Pip's role model," said Amber. "I'd be lying if I said I understand Pip 100% of the time, but thanks to you, I know what a crush looks like."
Pip reddened. "Piii…"
"Knew it, Bud. It's okay. You're allowed to have a girlfriend—I won't be jealous."
Jay didn't quite get the 'thanks to you, I know what a crush looks like' remark, but he fully agreed that Pip, as well as many of the other Pokémon in their party, admired that strange, sassy Pikachu Michio claimed as his MVP. And Pip having a crush made his heart melt. Nearly every ship did.
They lied there until the hour Jessie allotted Jay was almost up. When they were getting ready to leave, they heard two familiar voices. The opened the trap door and were surprised to find Tamaki and Soledad standing there.
"You too?" Amber whined. "How'd you find us?"
"What are you even doing up here so late?" Jay questioned.
"Ummm we…we… were just….um…" Soledad stopped stuttering to compose herself. "We didn't know there was a door there. And we should be asking you the same question. You should be in bed too."
"We were just taking a walk," said Tamaki.
"Now another couple is going to abuse our place," Amber complained. "Next time we come up here we're going to need something to block the door."
"'Another couple'?" Soledad laughed.
The four humans stared at each other for an awkward ten seconds.
"It's no big deal," said Jay. "Just keep in mind there's a security camera up here. My mom looks at the recordings sometimes when I'm out late with Amber."
"Goodnight," Amber laughed before she, Jay, and Pip left them alone.
Once they were a distance away, Amber turned to Jay. "That was a good one Jay. They had no idea that was a joke."
"Actually, that wasn't a joke; my mom really does spy on us," Jay replied. "She even showed me how."
"Oh…at least she tells you about it…"
XO
Hiatus, Day 122
"This has to be it," Annastasia told the dozen firefly Pokémon that were hovering beside her. "These ruins, I know they're hardly recognizable, especially in this early morning darkness, but I'm certain that this is the former Toka base."
The second-in-command Volbeat spun around happily and then used its light to help her find a basement door. Annastasia was certain that all the Team Rocket bases were equipped with emergency basements, and she had told the Pokémon that finding this entrance would be better than finding a gold mine at this point. She helped them search through the rubble.
"Illuuuuuu!" an Illumise shrieked after several minutes of searching. "Luuuuumise!"
"You found something?" Annastasia asked in a raspy, tired voice. "Let me see."
Annastasia stumbled over to the door. Several Volbeat and Illumise opened the door for her, and she was about to climb inside when suddenly another vision hit her.
"Illuuuuuu!" The leader of the group yelled as Annastasia fell face forward, about to and right into a pile of debris.
Several Volbeat and Illumise grabbed her a split second before her head hit the rubble, and they struggled to pull her up. They soon lost their grip. Her body slipped out of their tiny hands and she fell once more. Though from a shorter distance, this time her head collided with a concrete step.
"Volbeat Volllll!" the Pokémon closest to her shouted in her ear. He tugged her ear and poked her cheek, alarmed that she wasn't shaking as she had done during past visions.
"Check to see if her head is injured," said the leader.
Two Volbeat inspected the place where her head had been hit. An obsidian bruise was developing on her forehead. An Illumise opened one of her shut eyelids then checked her heartbeat.
"Lumise Lumise!"
"Vollllbeat!"
"Volllll beeeaat!"
The leader sighed sadly and called down the other Pokémon to help them pull Annastasia's body towards the dorms.
"Put her on the bed," said the leader. "There are lights on in this place; humans are probably coming back here soon. They will find her."
The others complied, moving Annastasia to a room that was up the hall from the basement door and a utility closet that was left open. The curious Pokémon ignored the closet and the strange human-sized capsule-like device inside of it for the time being and focused on moving the 135-pound human onto the closest bed they could find.
The room they chose was bigger than most of the others, and it had lots of pictures; pictures of children of various ages, a Meowth, a Wobbuffet, two Eevee, an Arbok and Weezing, a Victreebel that was just a bit too affectionate towards its poor trainer…they decided that whoever was occupying this room would probably be back soon willing to help; whoever they were, they obviously liked Pokémon and children.
"Some of us should stay in this room with her while the others inspect this facility," said the leader. "And the ones searching this place should bring back all the resources and information they can gather."
One Volbeat and one Illumise elected to stay with Annastasia while the remaining ten explored. They didn't have to spend that much time searching because their initial suspicions were correct; the humans did return soon. But the discoverers weren't as happy about it as the firefly Pokémon had hoped.
XO
Hiatus, Day 122
"I've never been so fucking cold in my entire fucking life," Michio complained to the rest of his 'squad'. "No offense James, but your giant fire-dog and fire-fox aren't helping."
"Your team should include a Ditto," Duplica said as she patted hers. "Then you wouldn't have to share."
"Ditto Di tototo!" the group's five Ditto chanted simultaneously.
The squad composed of James, Michio, Meowth, Lucy, Mondo, Duplica, Butch, Cassidy, Ritchie, Sakura, Ash, Misty, Iris, Cilan, Drew, Clement, Rumika, Bonnie, Max, Gary, Dawn, N, White, Domino, and Archer were camping out a few miles away from the Tree of Beginning. It was four in the morning, and they were all just waking up. It was their fifth day in a row camping.
"We're so close. I bet today's gonna be de day," Meowth told James, who seemed to be hurting most of all.
"You said that yesterday, the day before, and they day before that," he lamented.
"It will be easier to think about something else for now," said Lucy.
Michio squeezed himself between James' Arcanine and Jessie's Ninetales in an attempt to warm himself up. Unlike everyone else there, he had never experienced snow, and he was finding it to be a negative experience thus far. Butch yelled at him to 'get moving', and he tiredly raised his large overnight bag onto his back.
"Why do you all think we should go to the Tree now?" Michio asked the group. "Last night there was a Rayquaza-Dragonite fusion and something that looked like a giant Dugtrio that shot ice beams guarding that thing."
"There's nothing there now," said Domino. "We know what we're doing; leave the strategic planning to the pros."
"Be nicer to Michio. He's having a difficult time out here. He isn't used to these conditions," said James.
"I'm sick of listening to him bitch and whine. We're all just as tired, hungry, and cold as he is."
"I truly believe that I 'bitch and whine' the perfect amount for someone in my situation," said Michio.
"Whatever. Just keep your Pokémon inside their balls until I say so. We know fighting these things is pointless, and we no longer have any way of tranquilizing them. If you see any odd abilities or what looks like an attack, give the signal, and run for it," Archer, their leader, announced.
The group split into pairs, and by something that was probably nothing more than coincidence, James was paired with Michio.
"What Pokémon do you have on you?" Michio asked James, though he had a pretty good idea. Knowing James, he brought all of his Pokémon, leaving no one behind at the base.
"The only Pokémon I don't have with me is Mime Jr, who I left in Pallet. And of course, I don't have Aliyah. Jess gave me some of hers: Ninetales, Frillish, Serviper, Gourgiest, and Wobbuffet."
"I have all mine too."
Michio and James walked together in silence for a while, following the instructions that Domino and Archer had given them. This was the first time since they had been out that they had access to the Tree; never before had they been able to get this close without one of the fusions coming to get them. Eventually, they came across something that looked like it could possibly be an opening, but it was blocked with thick roots and vines.
James released Inkay and Growly. Michio released Peruva and Lunala.
"Lunala, Moonblast. Peruva, Shadowball," Michio instructed.
"Growly, Overheat, Inkay, Psychic," said James.
All four attacks hit the Tree at once, but it made no difference. They tried several more times, using a variety of attacks, but the roots and vines didn't snap.
"We should've been able to get through in a snap," James sighed. "This makes no sense."
"Lunala has an ability that can be useful here. It's the one I described earlier," said Michio. "Lunala, do your thing."
The mysterious Pokémon pressed her batlike hands against the trunk of the Tree, and all of a sudden everything started to spin.
"What's happening!?" James cried he latched onto his Pokémon.
"Just hold on," Michio replied.
When the spinning stopped, they were in a different place.
"…I know this place…this is the Tree! The inside!" James exclaimed. "How'd she do that? No other Pokémon has been able to teleport in here."
"She has an ability called fear-grabbing," Michio explained. "When she senses fear, she can harness it and turn it into power. She can then use that power to do whatever she wants, granted, she is trained enough."
"I never heard of such a thing. She must be one of the most powerful Pokémon in the world."
"Sure is. The only downside to this particular ability is that it doesn't always work. Sometimes another Pokémon can overpower her."
"I wonder why the monster fusion didn't overpower her."
"Probably because it didn't expect us."
"Brilliant!"
"I know."
They walked toward a dim glow in the distance. The entire place was dark except for that one bit of light. Meanwhile, several hundred yards away, Lucario, Mewtwo, and Scarlett's ears perked.
"Humans are in here. I can feel them," said Lucario.
"Piiiikkkkaaaa!" Scarlett exclaimed. She stood, only to fall back.
"I sense it too. If all three of us sense them, then can it really be? But how?" said Mewtwo.
Scarlett climbed out of her homemade bed and ran towards the aura she knew better than any other.
"Tarrrrria!"
"Pup Lilllllllipup!"
"Scarlett, come back! It isn't safe!" Mewtwo called after her. "Those antibodies…You're too weak to defend yourself!"
"I'll go after them," Lucario before running after Scarlett, who was now being chased by Lil-G and Bleu.
Scarlett continued to cry out her name as she ran towards her destination. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and she relied on her aura to guide her through the twisting tunnels of the Tree's underbelly.
"What's that sound?" Michio asked.
"I've heard that before," James replied nervously. Suddenly his face changed toan expression of pure fear. "T-turn around!"
Behind them were two red, Pokémon-shaped, floating globs of plasma. James dropped his backpack, then shrieked and ran away. He ran back to grab Michio, who had frozen in place, and the two of them ran faster towards what they assumed to be the end of the tunnel.
"What is that thing?" Michio asked, looking back briefly to see what was devouring his backpack.
"An antibody. Those things Ash was explaining before. If those get us…who knows if we'll make it," James answered between breaths.
"Can't we stop them?"
"Not unless you have a Pokémon that can utilize aura."
"What?"
Two more antibodies emerged from the walls, and James and Michio continued their uphill sprint.
"I'm really not in shape," Michio complained. "This sucks."
Michio tripped. James stopped for a moment, then realized if he waited much longer, he too would become history. He didn't know what his chances of getting yet another second chance would be, especially now that the Tree was so sick.
James released Growly and asked him to help Michio just as a flash of yellow lighting flew past him.
"Piiiiikkkaaaappppiiii!" Scarlett screamed, using her Aura Sphere attack on the antibody closest to them. She continued to knock them all down.
"Scarlett! I can't believe that you're here," Michio breathed. "What're you doing?"
Michio never saw an aura sphere before, minus the tiny ones that Annastasia had demonstrated to him months previously. These seemed like something else entirely.
Lucario, Bleu, and Lil-G, came into view a few seconds later. James was overjoyed to see them. He picked up Lil-G and swung her around and hugged Bleu as tightly as he could. Lucario joined Scarlett in fighting off the antibodies. Michio was frustrated when none of his other Pokémon's attacks seemed to be helping fight the antibodies, which were now approaching them by the dozens. He and the others had to stay behind Scarlett and Lucario.
"Only aura-based attacks work on these," Lucario explained. "Nothing else will."
"Michio, deliver that potion to the Mew," said James. "One of Annastasia's Pokémon can show you where they are."
"No. Scarlett, go with him. You can protect him with your Aura Sphere attack."
"Pika," she answered, finishing off one more before indicating for Michio to follow her.
"Scarlett, I know now isn't the best time, but I have missed you so much. I love you and I am sorry for treating you bad before," Michio said as they ran together.
"Pikapi, Pikachuuu!" she yelled back, warning him of upcoming attacks.
"I know I should save this spiel for later, there will be plenty of time for that...I'm sure of it because I'm never going anywhere without you again."
"Pika chu Pikapi pi."
"Well, I didn't intend to get up this early in the morning, when it was still dark like this, but I was sorta forced to…The reason I seem so awake right now is because I missed you."
"Piiiiii."
"Thanks."
It was a rough battle, but eventually, Michio and Scarlett made it to the spot where Mewtwo was waiting with Acorn and Aliyah. It was the last little area in which Mewtwo's shield was intact. Michio described the potion he had brought in brief. Mewtwo was deeply intrigued.
"That is what we've been waiting for," he responded. "You must give that to the Mew immediately. Scarlett, you must rest. You have done so much. You're already sick."
"Pikapi—"
Scarlett collapsed, tumbling off Michio's shoulder so unexpectedly that he could not even partially catch her. She lied sprawled on her back like a rag doll.
"Scarlett? What's wrong?" Michio asked he knelt beside her. "Scarlett?"
"We feared this would happen," Mewtwo said gravely.
"What are you talking about?"
James, Lucario, Bleu, and Lil-G caught up them. They watched Michio holding Scarlett for a moment and wondered what he was doing.
Lucario, Mewtwo, and James knelt down next to them. Michio pressed one of his ears to her tiny chest.
"I don't hear anything," Michio told the others.
"Hear?" James asked.
"Or feel. No heartbeat. But it can't be…"
"Her aura's gone," said Mewtwo.
"Gone? What do you mean it's gone? She was fine seconds ago! She was a beast, killing those antibodies with her Aura Spheres! I'd never seen her so powerful."
"She overexerted herself. She's been very ill lately, and—"
"How ill?"
"Fatally. She is, or rather was, a powerful Pokémon, but she could only take so much. She was only a Pikachu. Now she's dead."
"Are you sure?" James asked as he stepped towards the Pikachu. "She seemed so sturdy…Isn't there a way to double check?"
He studied the Pikachu's face and cringed at the sight of her; though Pikachu were not his favorite Pokémon for obvious reasons, he had an undeniable soft spot for the electric mouse.
"Once an aura has left an individual, that individual is gone," said Lucario. "Aura is their life essence. It is very clear to us Scarlett's life essence is no longer present."
Michio rebuffed that claim. He tried tickling her, poked her, said her name, offered a treat—but nothing could stimulate her.
Peruva popped back out of her Pokéball. She purred loudly in Scarlett's ear, and when she realized the obvious, rubbed affectionately against the two of them.
"Mewtwo is right," said Lucario. "You have our condolences."
All of James and Michio's Pokémon, as well as Lil-G and Bleu, gathered around Scarlett's body and mourned for her. Lucario and Mewtwo decided to have a private telepathic conversation while the others were occupied.
'Does this mean that Annastasia has perished as well?' Lucario asked Mewtwo.
'If not yet then possibly very soon,' he replied. 'It also means that this monster fusion will pass unless it takes this entire Tree down. We must tell these humans and their Pokémon. It is our responsibility.'
'That potion—if Annastasia is still alive, it can save her, as long as we get it to her quickly.'
'We need that potion for the Tree. If the Tree dies, then none of us will survive; that includes Annastasia.'
'Unless some sacrifices their aura to the Tree, someone with a very powerful aura. Someone like me.'
'No. Not yet.'
'I promised to protect her. Instead, I lost her. I must take every chance I have to save her.'
'The monster fusion has enhanced the aura of the Tree in the same way that it had enhanced Annastasia's aura in the past. If you sacrifice yourself to this Tree, you will not be able to save it; all it will do is make the monster fusion more powerful until it eventually comes to perish the way Annastasia and Scarlett did. That potion must go to these Mew directly. It is already too late for Annastasia and Scarlett. They did what they were born to do. You know I am right. You know as much as I do.'
'We were so close to having a better outcome.'
James interrupted their silent conversation.
"We…we need to help Acorn and Aliyah," James said quietly as he lifted one of the Mew. "Is this all it will take?"
Aliyah mewed pathetically. Michio took a tiny vial of purple liquid from his pocket.
"Give this to her and some to the other. Thanks to Scarlett, we can now save this Tree," Michio sighed.
James took the potion. "It looks like there are only a few milliliters in here. This is worth 20 billion dollars?"
"It can heal anything. People who say you can't buy health are kidding themselves."
Michio kept his eyes on Scarlett. Bleu repeatedly used Heal Pulse in attempts to revive her, but as expected, it had no effect on her lifeless body.
James carefully placed one drop on Aliyah's tongue, then did the same to Acorn. A few seconds later they sprung to life. The Mew soared and danced through the air, and only stopped when they noticed Scarlett lying on Bleu's back, head tilted and eyes closed. They used their psychic abilities to carry her.
All around them, the Tree was returning to life. The grass went from a rusty brown to a vibrant green, flowers re-blossomed on their previously dead stems, and the closed-off entrances of the Tree reopened.
"What do we do now?" said Michio.
"We can exit; the monster fusion must've lost control of the Tree," said Mewtwo.
"I don't think that's what he meant," James whispered, looking at Scarlett.
Michio had reclaimed Scarlett, holding the Pikachu in his jacket. James and the Pokémon looked away.
"I know what he meant," Mewtwo responded. "We will exit the Tree. Since the monster fusion lost control over this Tree, that means it must have also lost control over the other fusions, the one the was preventing our teammates from entering. Let's go to them."
"We must find Annastasia. It is important that we find her today," Lucario emphasized.
Michio, James, Mewtwo, Acorn, Aliyah, Bleu, Lil-G, and James and Michio's Pokémon followed Lucario as he used his aura to guide them out of the Tree. When they finally exited, several other pairs of Team Rocket members have gathered. Among them were Ash, Misty, N, and White.
"You did it!" Ash exclaimed happily as he saw them approaching.
"Pikapi!" his Pikachu cheered.
"I can't believe it! I don't know how but…" Misty started. Then she saw Michio, and her expression changed to horror. "Wait…"
Everyone gathered around Michio and Scarlett to get a closer look.
"I had a feeling this had happened," said N. "I felt her aura leave this Earth the moment she must've collapsed."
"She used her last bit of energy to fight of those antibodies. She overexerted herself until there was nothing left," said Mewtwo. "We used the potion to save the Tree, but she could not be saved."
"But why not?" asked Ash. "You said her and Annastasia share the same aura, so if we find Annastasia, can't you just heal Annastasia and Scarlett will heal too? That worked with Mew and the Tree."
"It's too late," said Lucario cautiously. He turned away from the group, not wanting to see their faces while he explained the rest. "She is already dead. Nothing in this world, no ability or potion, can ever bring a Pokémon back to life. Now, if we hurry and get to Annastasia, we may be able to help her before she goes down too."
Everyone stood in silence for a moment, letting the words sink in.
"You mean to say that since Annastasia is symbiotic with Scarlett, that soon she will die too unless we can heal her?" James asked.
"Yes," said Lucario.
"But how? Since the Pikachu is now gone, how can Annastasia have any hope?"
"The monster fusion is also symbiotic with her," said Mewtwo. "Annastasia is weaker than the monster fusion, so we must try to find her first. If we can heal her, then we can save both of them. The monster will live on as well, but so will Annastasia."
"Then the reason Scarlett collapsed is because somewhere, somehow, Annastasia fell too. So that means she is hurt or very sick somewhere, and we have to find her now."
"Yes. The same is true for this monster fusion. Soon it will fall too. We are already witnessing its power wither."
"The chances of us finding her are slim," said Lucario. "We must begin searching immediately to increase our chances. We might only have a few hours. Perhaps far less."
N gave the signal, and all the Team Rocket members present in Toka started to make their way back to the basement base.
"But there has to be something we can do," said Misty. "We have all these Pokémon. The most powerful in the world. Can't any of them help?"
"What about Celebi or Jirachi? Can't they reverse things?" Ash questioned. "Can't they make things better?"
"There was no way to prevent this. This was meant to be. Even if we go back in time and change things…the outcome will always be the same," said Mewtwo. "Destiny cannot be altered."
"But we can't give up. Annastasia has to be around here somewhere," James persisted. "You can't tell me she gone. I won't believe you!"
"There's still time to find her," said N. "Maybe we can save her, or maybe you will at least have a chance to say goodbye. We'll do our best."
The walk back to the Toka base was cold and silent. The other members of the group offered to carry Scarlett, but Michio refused to hand her over, nor would he give any comments when they tried to talk about Annastasia again.
'This has to be some kind of nightmare,' Michio thought to himself. 'We had finally done it. We were right there. We had figured out all the mysteries, gotten everything we needed…'
Michio looked over at James. He was crying with his Pokémon, including the Mew, who had transformed back into their Eevee forms. Misty and Ash followed behind, each with a hand on one of his shoulders. N, Lucario, and Mewtwo led the way. The rest of the group kept their distance and silence. He decided that he wasn't going to say anything unless compelled.
When they finally got back to the Toka base ruins, they were surprised to a small backpack lying by the basement door.
"Does this belong to one of us?" N asked as he held up the knapsack.
James' eyes widened. "That's Anna-chan's backpack!"
James ran past them and pulled open the heavy door leading down to the basement. He sprinted down the concrete stairs and called Annastasia's name. One by one the group followed after him.
"Illumise mise!" a Pokémon called out of nowhere. "Illu! Illu!"
"What was that?" asked Misty. "It sounded like an Illumise, but it can't be. No way they'd be up here in this cold weather."
"Vollllllllbeat"
"Mise Illimse!"
About ten firefly Pokémon flew out into the hall, greeting the newcomers. The leader Illumise instructed the others to gather in James' room, where Annastasia was lying on the bed and several empty bottles of a mysterious potion lay on the nightstand. One Illumise and one Volbeat were huddled under the covers next to her.
"Anna-chan!" James exclaimed when he saw her. He and his Pokémon ran up to her immediately.
Everyone crowded around the bed, but a moment later White, a former nurse, ordered them to move out of the way. She briefly examined Annastasia, then she turned to the others to give them an explanation.
"She's still alive, but she has a head injury and a fever. I can't tell much else without any equipment."
"This teleporter can bring us directly to Delia's Pokémon hospital. It's the quickest way. They'll be able to get her help there," said Misty.
Acorn and Aliyah lifted her using Psychic. They carried her to the teleporter, which was located just down the hall.
Acorn and Aliyah handed Annastasia off to James. He held onto her and squeezed into the teleporter. He hit the button to go to Viridian. The moment they were gone, Michio climbed in. He hit the same button he saw James press. In an instant he was gone, too. After that, Annastasia's Pokémon, Acorn, Aliyah, and Peruva did the same.
"Should we go after them?" White asked the others.
"I want to be with her, but some of you should stay here until the others come back," said Lucario. "Someone must explain this all to the other agents."
"We'll take care it of it," said Misty. "Lucario, you should be with them."
When James got the hospital the first thing he did was bring Annastasia into one of the small offices located nearby before anyone saw them and started asking questions. A few seconds after that, Michio and the others appeared. Acorn and Aliyah teleport them all to Delia's office.
Delia was taking a rare break when a struggling James, a passed out Annastasia, and a collection of frightened Pokémon appeared in the doorway of her office.
"What happened?" Delia asked as she helped to settle Annastasia onto the couch.
"We'll explain later. We need to bring her one of your patient rooms," James quickly responded.
"Right…Follow me."
Delia summoned a group of Chansey and Blissey, who then brought Annastasia to the Pokémon equivalent of the ICU. Nurses of both humans and Pokémon rushed in after her, but everyone else was forced to stay away. Delia then pulled the others aside to talk to them but moved on when she noticed Michio holding the seemingly unconscious Pikachu.
"Is that Ash's Pikachu or yours?" she asked, her voice heavy with grief.
"It's Scarlett," Michio murmured. "Why can't we go in there? I want to know what they're doing to Annastasia."
"The medical workers need all the space they can get if they are going to be successful in providing Annastasia with the care she needs. Only her father should go in." Delia called on another Chansey to bring a cart for Scarlett. "You can explain to me why this Pikachu is like this and we can get started on helping her."
"I can't…"
Michio laid Scarlett on one of the waiting room chairs and dashed down the hall. Lucario, Mewtwo, Bleu, and Lil-G noticed this and came over to Delia. Mewtwo lifted Scarlett.
"Where's he going?" Delia sighed. "I just wanted to help his Pikachu. My people aren't going to let him into Annastasia's room for a while."
Delia reached over to pet Scarlett, then she realized that something worse than she suspected was wrong.
"Tell me about this Pokémon," she requested.
"Her name was Scarlett. She was Michio's most valuable Pokémon. She died helping to save the Tree of Beginning," Lucario explained.
Delia looked into the patient room where both human and Pokémon doctors were working around Annastasia, setting her up on a regulator and giving her various medications. One of Delia's Blissey was arguing with Michio. James ended the dispute by allowing Michio step inside.
"Usually, family—and in a Pokémon hospital like this, the trainers—are not allowed in the ICU," said Delia. "But there's space; we don't use this section of the hospital often. Once things settle down a bit more, you can see her too. I also think my Blissey and Chansey team members are best at reading the situation...so I'll let them make that decision."
"You are a human that cares so much for Pokémon you built an entire hospital for them," Lucario noted. "Perhaps if more humans were like this, we would never have situations like this."
"Your comments are sweet. But what exactly do you mean by them?"
"I will explain later."
"Oh. I may not be a Pokémon trainer, but I know when I see one; Michio was fond of this Pikachu, very much so."
"Yes. Scarlett had said several times that liked him more than her previous trainers."
"I know their auras are tied together: Annastasia, Scarlett, and the monster fusion. We had hoped all this time that there would be a way to overcome this, that it wouldn't have to come down in flames. So, while it is good the Tree is restored and the monster fusion is gone, it is awfully sad that it had to come at such a high price."
"I keep wondering, if I go back in time, if I trained with her more, if I could've prevented these events from occurring. In the end I know I cannot. And I must correct you: the monster fusion is not gone. As long as Annastasia is alive, so is it."
"If the monster fusion finds the strength to drain that Tree's energy again, then we will be right back where we started," said Mewtwo. "Annastasia's life essence will be restored, but the Tree will once again be in peril".
"Unless the monster fusion decides to relinquish that power," James said quietly. He entered the waiting area and sat down on one of the chairs. He exhaled deeply. Michio sat down beside him.
"How is she?" Delia asked.
"Honestly, I look at her and I don't even know if she's there," James responded sadly.
"What was it you were saying before?" Michio asked. "Something about the monster fusion 'relinquishing its power'?"
"The monster fusion's soul can still go on without that body. Annastasia explained to you before you it was once used as a weapon. That was before its soul, or life essence was transformed into a Pokémon," Mewtwo explained. "It can continue to live on, in a different form, if it chooses. If chooses to do this before the aura is completely run out, then Annastasia can be spared. I doubt it will do such a thing. It's selfish. It would rather die and have others go down with it than live knowing it lost its cause."
"Its cause?" said Delia.
"The monster fusion wanted Pokémon and humans to be treated as equals. It didn't understand the complex relationships between various trainers and their Pokémon, and between humans and other humans, and instead focused only on those relationships that were abusive. According to Scarlett, the monster fusion told Annastasia that she was a cruel person for capturing and training Pokémon and that her idea of justice was selfish. The fusion expelled her from the Tree with nothing but her clothing and knapsack. It injured Scarlett, making her very sick and weak. It told Annastasia that the only way to would help her is if she could make it to Pallet Town and then back to the Tree, bringing with her reinforcements. Scarlett also said that she was brave. That when that enormous and hideous creature stared her in the eyes, she didn't even wince. And when it told her of her fate. She accepted it. She didn't run away."
"I didn't know Pokémon could be so cruel. It can save her, and itself, but it won't," said James.
"How will we know when the monster fusion's aura is officially gone?" Delia asked.
"Mewtwo and I will be able to tell," said Lucario.
"Is there anything that can help her?"
"No. We can only wait and hope."
"James, what did the doctors say about Annastasia's condition?"
"They said she hit her head on something sharp and hard, and that before that she must have been very exhausted, hungry, and sick," he responded. "They cannot tell what is wrong exactly. Although she can still breath on her own, they believe that any moment now that will stop too…I better make some calls."
James walked back into Annastasia's room. He sat down in a chair located next to her bed. He picked up her hand with one hand and dialed Jessie on video chat with the other. Delia turned to Michio.
"Jessie, James, and I were not always close," she told Michio. "I'm sure you've heard the stories."
"Some of them," Michio mumbled.
"I always had a soft spot for them, but most of the people they associate with now did not, including my son and his friends. But that changed when she came along."
"What did she have to do with it?"
"For starters, I believe her conception reminded everyone that some really good things could come out of nothing at all. She helped so many in her short life."
"Yeah."
"I heard that you were close to both Annastasia and that Pikachu. They left a huge impression on you during your brief time together."
"They did. In different ways. I can't talk about them know. Not here, with you. No offense but the two people I feel like I can really talk to are gone. I never got to tell them how I really felt."
"I'm sorry for you. Though I don't know you personally, my granddaughter told me about you. I know part of you probably wants to run away right now, but I want to try to convince you to stay, at least for a little while. They have lost so much recently. If she does die and you are not here, you are going to regret not staying to say goodbye for the rest of your life."
"I know; I'll never run away again."
"I can take Scarlett and arrange to have something done for her. A funeral of some sort, once everything here is settled."
"Okay...take her. I shouldn't keep looking at her like this."
Michio handed Scarlett to Delia. He watched her take the Pokémon down the hall, past Annastasia's room, and down another corridor. Lil-G jumped onto his lap and Peruva rubbed his side. Bleu used Heal Pulse on him, which made the pain he felt disappear for a few fleeting seconds, only to come back a tad harder moments later.
Thirty minutes later, when he noticed that James was no longer talking with Jessie on video chat, he re-entered her patient room and sat beside him.
"Is she going to be okay?" Michio asked.
"I would like to think so," James said as he looked at her face. "Annastasia was sick a lot as a child, but she was also always so tough and stubborn. She and I would be up all night together whenever she had an infection, and she would come up with these amazing ghost stories. She whined a lot when she was very little, but she was never serious about it. She always told us she was too tough to be sick. She was known to break out hospitals to go play in the woods and to tap phones when she suspected we were talking to one of her doctors."
"She sounds like she was a force to be reckoned with."
"She sure was." He looked away from Annastasia for a moment and focused on Michio. "I'm sorry about Scarlett. I love all my Pokémon a lot too. I imagine it is like losing a family member."
"It's worse."
"When Annastasia wakes up, we can have a funeral for Scarlett. We can make it very nice for her—anything you think she'd have liked."
"You really believe that Annastasia will wake up?"
"I don't know. Her head was hit very hard…but that hit alone was not fatal. And they already brought down her fever and are working on rehydrating her through her IV. She is also on medicines that will kill the virus she caught while she was out in the cold. I'm worried though about what kind of damage this will leave her with. That is what really makes me sad."
"I wonder how doctors can do all that—this isn't even a real hospital."
"She will be moved to a different facility as soon. They want her heal a bit more before they move her."
"Are Jessie and the others coming?"
"Yes, her mother, four siblings, and I imagine several tag-alongs."
"Four? I thought they considered Lily and Logan more as 'cousins'…"
"Jocelyn cheered me up a little by saying there were two babies on the way instead of just one. One boy and one girl. They had known for a while, but I've been out of touch, so I just found out."
"That's…great…right?"
"Yes, it's great."
"Then congrats."
"I'm so anxious for things to happen. I want us all to be together. Really together."
A few minutes later half a dozen children, some teenagers, and a ton of Pokémon came running down the hall.
"I didn't tell them about Scarlett," James quickly whispered in Michio's ear.
"Got it," Michio replied.
James stood and opened the door to the Pokémon ICU. He stepped into the hall and met the large group, who asked him hundreds of questions at once and tried to push past him in order to get through. Michio stepped out too. Jessie, who was being helped by Serena and May, was the last to come up. She swatted them away when she saw James.
"You look good, Jess," James commented as she pulled her into an embrace. "I missed you."
"I missed you too. But, hide me. I look like I swallowed a watermelon whole and it hurts. Just take me to see her," Jessie responded.
"Papa, can we go in to see her too?" Jocelyn asked.
"Hold on, I'm not sure how we're going to do this…but your friends can wait until later," said James.
"Okay…"
"Flaaa."
"Bring me Jay."
"Yes, sir!"
Jocelyn and Flaafy ran off to collect Jay. He and Amber were trying to get in to see Annastasia, just as most of the others were, but the attending Blissey would not let them in. She also draped a curtain over the glass wall so that they could not look in. James collected his kids, along with Lily and Logan, and escorted them inside. Michio and Jessie were already in the room when they entered.
"I can't believe this happened to her!" Jay cried, his voice more angry than sad. "It's not fair!"
"Papa, why does she have tubes in her arms? Doesn't that hurt her?" Jocelyn asked. "Hey, where's Flaafy?"
"Flaafy will have to wait outside with the other Pokémon," James responded. "That's an IV. It helps give her medicine and fluids so that she can recover. She can't feel it right now, so it isn't hurting her."
"How do you know she can't feel it?"
"Because I've had IVs before and I know for a fact that when you are unconscious you do not feel anything going in or out of your arm. Don't be mad at me, Jocelyn."
Jocelyn pointed an accusing finger toward Michio. "You said you were going to bring her back! But instead you brought her here, and she's hurt and sick!"
"Jocelyn, it isn't their fault. They saved her," said Logan. "Uh, I think."
"Then whose fault is it?"
"It was the monster fusion," said Jessie.
"But it doesn't matter who is at fault," James added. "The only important thing is that she is here and she is going to recover."
"Do you promise?" Jocelyn asked. "Do you promise that she'll recover?"
"…"
"Well?" said Jay. "Do you?"
"…I can't promise things like that," James finally answered.
Jocelyn stomped out of the room. She slammed the door behind her and ran past all her friends, minus Flaafy, who ran after her.
"Has she ever done that before?" James asked the others.
"No," said Jessie.
Jay was torn between his two sisters. He wanted to talk to Jocelyn, but he had so many burning questions about Annastasia. Michio noticed this and decided to go after her himself.
Jocelyn curled up into a ball in an empty stairwell and cried. Flaafy hugged her and chanted to her in his Poké-language. Michio found her five minutes later. He sat down next to her and waited until she talked to him first.
"You were supposed to save her, but you didn't. You let me down," Jocelyn said angrily.
"I did my best. I'm really sorry I couldn't help her," he replied.
"But you were supposed to!"
"Flaaa!"
"I wasn't 'supposed to' do anything. I tried my hardest and so did everyone else but sometimes these things happen," he retorted. "What do you mean when you say 'I was supposed to'?"
"Because that's the way it should be," Jocelyn sniffed. Flaafy helped her wipe some of the tears out of her eyes before she continued. "The prince saves the princess and then they all live happily ever after. No one is supposed to be hurt, and the princess always wakes up."
"I am glad you think I am nice enough to be a prince…but I'm not. And Annastasia isn't really a princess; it's just a nickname. And in real life people usually don't live 'happily ever after'. There's almost always a catch. Sometimes those catches are cruel."
"I don't want more people to die. Especially her. She is like my other mom. She told me that she will love me forever, even after she grows up and moves out of the house."
Jocelyn cried more. At a loss of what else to do, he mimicked Flaafy and patted her back sympathetically.
"Where's Scarlett?" Jocelyn asked after a while. "I missed her too. I think…I think if I see her, I might feel a little bit better."
Michio looked into her hopeful eyes for a few seconds then turned away. He debated whether it would be better to tell her the truth now or to tell a white lie. Something told him if anything, Jocelyn needed the truth right now. He arranged himself so that he was kneeling parallel to her. Then he held both her hands and looked her in the eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked nervously.
"Jocelyn, Scarlett died," he said. "She sacrificed herself to save me and the Tree of Beginning."
Jocelyn's eyes started to tear up again, but this time she didn't run away. Instead, she let go of his hands and hugged him tightly. She sobbed into his chest. Flaafy soon joined her. They stayed that way until they were interrupted by Rita, Amber, and two of their Pokémon, who had been looking for Jocelyn ever since she ran out of Annastasia's room. Michio asked her if she wanted to return to the room, but she refused.
"Are you sure?" Rita asked. "We are all sad about Annastasia. You can talk to us too. The doctors seem to think that she has a good chance of recovering."
"Everyone is looking for you, Jay especially," Amber added.
"Pikachu pi chuuu," said Pip.
"But, Scarlett…and…and…" Jocelyn babbled between sobs.
"It sounds like she wants to see Scarlett," Rita whispered to Michio. "More people are coming and it's only going to get busier. She's probably with some of Annastasia's other Pokémon, which last I saw were being screened for injuries and infections."
"Scarlett isn't with them," Michio replied.
He let go of Jocelyn, but she latched back onto him, so he picked her up instead.
"How do you know if you didn't even check?" Amber asked grumpily.
"Because I watched her die," he responded.
Amber was simultaneously surprised, ashamed, and saddened. "I-I didn't even know that Pokémon could die…"
"Are you one-hundred percent sure she's gone?" Rita asked, lowering her tone for Jocelyn.
"Yes," Michio confirmed.
"I'm so sorry. Do want us to do anything?"
"No. Flaafy, Jocelyn—we should go back to Annastasia."
"Okay," Jocelyn mumbled.
"Flaaa."
Jocelyn held his hand with Flaafy's on the other side. They all left the stairwell and headed back towards Annastasia's patient room. Rita sent out a group message to let everyone know that they got Jocelyn back. A bunch of people came up to them before they reached their destination.
"Michio, we're so sorry about what happened," said Soledad. "James and Delia just told us that Scarlett died helping to save the Tree of Beginning."
"None of us can believe it," said June. "We—"
"I don't want to talk about it," Michio interrupted.
"I know you mean well, but just back off for now," Nolan told the group after Michio, Jocelyn, and Flaafy had walked away. "There is a time and place for that, but this isn't it."
James, Jessie, Lily, Logan, and Jay were still beside Annastasia. Meowth, Lucy, Mondo, Rumika, and Delia had joined them. Dr. Liz had joined the ranks, and she was evaluating Annastasia as Michio and Jocelyn joined them.
"Did you tell Jocelyn about….?" James whispered to Michio.
"She knows," Michio responded.
"Annastasia is looking pretty good, considering what she's gone through," said Liz. "The antibiotics will kill the virus she caught, which will cause her fever to go down and any additional symptoms to go away. That should only take about a week. She hasn't lost any blood and there is no damage to any of her bones or internal organs, so she will not be needing any form of surgery. Though she is dehydrated still, that is something that she can recover from in a few days' time. The malnourishment caused her to lose some muscle tone, but she can regain that, though it will take a while for her to get back to where she was a few months ago."
"What about the hit to her head? The nurses said it looked severe," said Jessie.
"I was just about to get to that. I'm not a neurologist, but I know allll about her seizures and other anomalies. I already called her neurologists and they're on their way now. It is likely that the stress of the situation triggered a seizure, which caused her to fall and hit her head."
"But does the wound look severe? Will she wake up with amnesia or be paralyzed? Can you tell us anything?"
"Based on where she hit her head, she shouldn't be paralyzed or have amnesia—"
"Are you certain?"
"I can't promise because the brain is a very complex organ and even the most skilled doctors in the world know very little about it. I just can't know."
Liz lifted her briefcase and made her way towards the door. She placed a hand on the handle.
"I will be back soon to do a re-val. You have my personal number. Call me if the attending physician cannot answer your questions."
"So, what happens now?" Meowth asked the room.
"I think we should go back to the Tree of Beginning," Michio said after a few agonizing moments had gone by.
"Why would we want to do that?" said Lucy.
"Now that the Mew are well and the monster fusion is weak, we can enter with no problems," said Rumika. "It's a good idea. After all, if the monster fusion dies, then so does Annastasia. Though it is a horrible creature, we must help it if we want to help her."
"We were discussing earlier how the monster fusion can choose to surrender some of its power. It can transform into a smaller form. This will help Annastasia because it will even things out, power wise. The two of them can live in equilibrium. We have to convince it though," said Mondo.
"It's 'cause' was to make humans and Pokémon equal. It can better do that is it continues on in this world, living in equilibrium with her," said James. "All it has to do is become a small version of itself."
"Like a Diablo?" Jay asked.
"Yes, like Diablo," said James.
"Maybe you should bring that mini fusion of yours along. It can help convince the monster fusion that if it becomes one of us, we won't treat it bad, even if it is a freak," said Lucy. "It seems to trust fusions more than regular Pokémon, and humans appall it."
"The twerp can bring his fusion too," said Jessie. "He has like six or eight of them or something like that."
"And I have mine. The Psyduck-Julip fusion and Vaporeon-Jolteon-Flareon fusion," Rumika added. "We can't score if we don't take any shots, so let's shoot."
Mewtwo and Lucario picked up on their conversation and entered the already crowded patient room.
"We understand you want to return to the Tree," said Mewtwo.
"They believe they can convince the monster fusion to surrender," said Aliyah.
"We want to help. But this will not be an easy thing to do and there is no way it will respond to an ambush," said Lucario. "Not too many should go. One human and a few Pokémon. Anything else will be too threatening."
"Remember that this creature is enormous and it still has a great deal of power. Though ill, it is still capable of wiping out nearly anyone or anything it desires. I do not believe that I can overpower it. If I cannot overpower it then neither can the Mew," said Mewtwo.
"But if only one goes, that will be dangerous," said Mondo. "We never just send one person out."
"That individual can bring Pokémon...This is dangerous no matter the method."
"We can teleport in and out of that Tree," Acorn communicated to the group. "The fusion is too weak to take control of the Tree. We will come with and protect whoever chooses to go."
"I'll do it," said James.
"No," Jessie asserted. "I told you: no self-sacrifice allowed. There's no way I'm having twins without you."
"Twins?" said Rumika and Mondo together.
"Congratulations," said Rumika. "I guessed multiples; you're enormous."
"Thank you for pointing I out because I didn't notice," Jessie replied sourly. "Seriously James, no. We'll have the twerp or someone else do it. You'll just get eaten by one of those globby antibody things anyway."
"You would too if you went," James retorted.
"I know. Which is why I'm not going either."
"Ash is occupied at the moment," said Mewtwo. "He cannot go."
"What? How do you know?" Amber asked, squeezing Jay's hand as he spoke. "Is he okay?"
"He injured himself. With a few healing Pokémon, potions, and time, he will be back to normal in a few hours. We will discount Ash; this mission should commence as soon as possible."
"I should go," said Michio.
Everyone turned to look at him. Jocelyn was still sitting on his lap, and she seemed simultaneously appalled and excited by his statement.
"I'm serious," he added when no one responded.
"No offense, but you don't know what you're doing. You've been a big help, but this is something that should be left to a qualified agent," said Rumika. "I'll do it."
"You will need to monitor whoever goes," Mondo told Rumika. "You're the best at working all that spy equipment. I'll go."
"Duplica and Alex won't let you," said Jessie. "And neither will I."
"There are dozens of other agents that can go. The Alolan will mess up," Domino said as she entered the room.
"You aren't welcome here," Jessie hissed.
"Well, I should be. And I know what you're talking about. I have a Lucario buddy too."
"Why are you so sure that 'The Alolan' will mess up?" Michio asked.
"Because you're the weakest member of our squad. You were basically as useless as useless could get, and the only good thing about you was your Pokémon."
"I think he did great for a newbie," said Mondo "By the time you were eighteen you had lots of training, but can you imagine if you didn't? And I don't think that kind of experience is needed for this kind of task."
"He is right," said Mewtwo. "Michio will do fine. After all, he was Scarlett's trainer. Ultimately he should be the one to go in Annastasia's place."
"What do you think he is going to do when the antibodies come for him?" Domino questioned.
"We'll go too," said Acorn. "Aliyah and use aura-powered moves."
"Fine, go—I'm not wasting any more time arguing."
Domino left the room. Michio moved Jocelyn off his lap and stood.
"I'll need a map," he started. "And I'd like another fire-type. I only have Rapidash, and she's kinda slim."
"Are you really going?" Jocelyn asked.
"Flaaa?"
Michio squatted down next to her. "Yes. I will be back in like two hours. Maybe a little more or less. I don't know how long this will take; I've never done it before."
Mewtwo and Lucario told Michio what to say and what to avoid and how to handle the antibodies. Acorn, Aliyah, several of the smaller fusions, James' Growly, Jessie's Ninetales, Annastasia's two most loyal partners, and a few of his own Pokémon were going with him. After saying goodbye to everyone, he had Acorn and Aliyah teleport them to the Tree of Beginning.
They first arrived at the abandoned Toka base, and then right outside the Tree. On the third and final teleport, they made it inside. They were immediately ambushed by antibodies. Acorn and Aliyah managed to block them all.
"Once we make it to the heart of the Tree, Aliyah and I can instruct the Tree to make these attacks stop," Acorn explained before attacking another one. "The heart is this way."
Acorn and Aliyah led Michio and the Pokémon down a series of winding tunnels. Michio was surprised at how bright everything was compared to the last time he was in the underbelly of the Tree, about three hours previously, when the Tree was still very sick. The Mew shot aura spheres at the antibodies as they went along.
"Annastasia once told me that there were guardians protecting this place," said Michio. "Regirock, Regice Registeel, and…something else.
"Regigigas," said Acorn. "Those Pokémon lost their ability to protect the Tree once the monster fusion took control."
"How? Why?"
The Mew couldn't answer; all of Acorn and Aliyah's attention needed to be on making sure the Tree's antibodies didn't get Michio.
"I didn't realize how cool Kanto legendaries were," said Michio murmured after they continually redirected over to dozen attacks.
"You should consider staying with us," Aliyah responded.
"I know I want to but I'm not sure if I should," Michio replied. "I'm definitely not needed and I don't think I'm wanted. Jocelyn may like me, but that can change any day."
About twenty antibodies appeared before them. Michio summoned Lunala and asked her to use her fear-grabbing ability to produce aura spheres, but it didn't work.
"Why isn't it working?" he asked Lunala.
"Lunnnaaa luu."
"She says that there is not enough fear here," Acorn translated.
"I've never been so scared in my life," Michio replied. "What the shit is she talking about?"
"Luu luuuuuuna laaa la la."
"You are succeeding despite your fears, and that makes her power unnecessary," Aliyah explained. "If we need her, she will come through Right now we don't need her."
"Okay…," said Michio, still confused. He decided to leave Lunala out of her ball for the time being, in case her ability decided to kick in.
Eventually, they made it to the heart of the Tree. The monster fusion was visibly smaller, although it still looked enormous to Michio, who had never seen it live before. It was withered and tired, obviously sick, but it still had a fierce look in its eye when it glanced at them hatefully. Luckily by now all but Acorn, Aliyah, and Annastasia's Pokémon were the only one not in their balls, and the monster fusion was too weak to sense that he had more with him.
"Who are you?" the monster demanded telepathically.
"Um….my name is Michio," he answered awkwardly.
"I don't need your name, worthless human, I need to know why you have come to disturb me."
"I came on behalf of a friend of mine. A blond girl, a little shorter than me, light skin, you banished her a while back…"
"I get it! What about her?"
"She won your sick game. She made it back to her family and friends, alive, and you should do what she says."
"She isn't here—part of the deal was for her to come back."
"She is very sick, like you, and she is in a Pokémon hospital, being treated by Pokémon and humans, but she is still alive," said Acorn.
"That is why I came on her behalf," said Michio.
"We know that unless you help us, both of you are going to die."
"I know," the monster said nastily.
"Do you realize that if you surrender some of your energy, transfer it to her, and choose to exist in a smaller, less powerful form, you can both live in equilibrium together?"
"I've considered this…"
"Isn't equilibrium what you wanted?" Aliyah asked.
"It is. But not on a microcosmic level. I meant for all Pokémon."
"Charity starts at home," said Acorn.
"Don't give me that."
"Annastasia was one of those rare humans that blurred the line between human and Pokémon. There are others like her too. She is not alone," said Aliyah. She thought of Meowth and Lucy, and on a different scale, N and Ash. But she couldn't explain how that connection took a lifetime to understand even the surface of it all. "You must trust us."
"I can sense that your intentions are pure, but I am concerned for myself. What will become of me? Your society is one that places blame. Everything is a choice. I understand this. But the choices I was given…none of them were very good. If I do this I will be caged, trapped, and I feel I would rather die."
"No," Michio asserted. "I seriously don't hold a lot of power, but I can promise that if you spare her life, you will be rewarded, not punished. I'll see to it myself."
"How?"
"I have a huge inheritance, and by some miracle, I managed to get on my parents' good side. In about twenty days, it's all mine. Or yours, if you want. And trust me, you do want it. It turns out in the Kapule Klan, tradition is that the younger brothers get the Solgaleo's share of the family money."
"I don't know what any of that means, or why I would want money, that is a human desire."
"You are contradicting yourself," Aliyah piped. "Pokémon and humans can use money equally, isn't that the society you crave? Many Pokémon engages in commerce. We have Pokémon friends who love using their money".
"Oh, so you want to buy your friend."
"I'll do anything to get her back and that includes giving up everything that I own," said Michio.
"Hmmm…this matters to you."
"More than anything."
"Why are humans so odd?"
"Do we have a deal?"
There was a long pause of silence as the monster appeared to be contemplating.
"Please," said Michio.
"Yes," it finally answered. "Listen—Michio—this is conditional. We'll make a verbal contract, and if you break this contract, I will recoil. Remember, her life will forever be in my hands."
"What are your conditions?"
"Annastasia promised that there would be progress when it comes to justice between for Pokémon in regards to how they are treated in a human-dominated society. She talked about Pokémon having rights equal to those of human beings. I want to see this happen. Perhaps together you and Annastasia can use your money to help accomplish this."
"I don't know if money can help with that directly. But Team Rocket holds a lot of power, and the leaders of Team Rocket happen to like Annastasia a lot."
"What else?" Acorn asked.
"I need protection. If I am in equilibrium with her, no doubt I will be potent, but as a Pokémon, I will forever be vulnerable to those horrible Pokéballs. I demand that I never be put into one, or anything similar. No cages or restraints of any sort," it responded.
"That can be arranged, but you'll have to explain that to the others immediately because right now there are hundreds of agents ready to pounce on you. And they all know exactly what you look like. You are one of a kind."
"I will tell them of my needs, and you must help."
"I will."
"Is that all?" asked Aliyah.
"I want to have the right to add amendments as needed. I have never lived in human society as a Pokémon, and I do not know what all the challenges will be," the monster replied.
"Well, I have at least one condition," said Michio.
"What is that?"
"Annastasia must have a say in this. So, maybe she cannot override any of your amendments, but she should be able to make her own. This way you cannot take advantage of her and we can't take advantage of you."
"That sounds like equality and justice to me," said Acorn.
"Yes indeed," said Aliyah.
"We have a deal. I will go with you now, but first, I must change my form," it replied.
The fusion turned away from them. A bright white light, identical to the one that appears around a Pokémon when it evolves, surrounded it. Slowly it started to shrink until it was the size and shape of a Pikachu. They were hit with a brief wave of sadness.
"I am surprised that Pikachu is not here with you," the monster remarked.
"She's dead. You killed her," Michio responded.
The fusion hesitated, clearly surprised. "I regret that."
"It's too late…Let's just go back now."
XO
IN THE NEXT CHAPTER
· Peace
· Two types of presents
· The End?