Chapter 15:
Sky
Silver walked slowly through the hallways of the Team Rocket Headquarters. He was rolling the two Pokéballs containing Fang and Venom through the fingers of his right hand. He glanced at them, cupping them in his palm.
Silver, the memory of a soft voice echoed in his mind.
He stopped walking, and curled his hand into a fist around the Pokéballs.
Why do you bother? His voice, younger and lighter, responded in the memory. I'm always causing you trouble. You're always getting hurt…because of me. They're right. I'm not worth it. I'm…I'm too weak to protect.
I don't protect you because you're weak.
Silver lifted his jacket and replaced the 'balls on the back of his belt.
I protect you because you make me stronger than I am on my own.
Silver approached a door, grudgingly opened it and entered the stairwell. He hung his head as he slowly scaled several flights of the stairs.
You give me a reason to be strong. The gentle voice was barely audible, even in recollection.
Silver stopped in front of a cold, grey door. There was no window, unlike the other doors in the stairwell. Instead, there was simply a dark red, metallic R bordered in black.
Silver reached down his shirt and pulled out a small charm that hung on a usually-hidden leather necklace. It was an old, top-half of a strange Pokéball. It looked like a purple and black Ultra Ball of some sort, but it had a third ridge on the top, which had been hollowed out slightly to allow it to be threaded onto the leather. The silvery metal shown through in places where the purple paint had flaked off over time. It was older than Silver, but other than that, he wasn't sure how long ago the unique 'ball had been made.
The feminine voice spoke once more in his mind.
I...I love you.
Silver clenched his eyes and desperately fought back tears. After a few moments, he exhaled deeply and replaced the half-ball under his jacket. He rubbed his forehead, took a step toward the door, and leaned forward against it.
"I…" Silver breathed, his voice rough and dry. "I love you, too."
He gingerly rubbed his left shoulder as he straightened himself again.
I'm…I'm sorry.
He opened the door with more effort than he was used to. He had forgotten how heavy it was compared to the rest in the Headquarters. He entered a small foyer-style room. The walls were lined with red chairs placed thoughtlessly in crooked lines.
Am I the only person who ever actually sits in these chairs? Silver scowled in disappointment. They look exactly the same as they did…
Silver shook his head.
This room is nothing but bad memories. Just another set of reminders…that I'm chained and caged. There is no key.
He cautiously reached out and touched the leaves of a plant that was growing haphazardly in a large clay pot between two of the chairs. It was the only thing in the room that had grown, besides Silver himself. The only thing that had changed. The leaves were cool between his fingers, and smoother than he remembered. Silver wondered who bothered to even water the plant. Giovanni? Certainly not. The bastard was too self-involved to even bother to raise his own son properly. Dagger? Yes. Dagger had enough of a soul to care about something as insignificant as a plant.
Silver let go of the plant.
If there was one person who understood what it meant to be helpless as they lost a loved one, it was Dagger. How someone so close to Giovanni could have developed any sort of heart, Silver couldn't fathom.
He looked towards the wooden door to Giovanni's office, and at a chair just before it, on the left side of the hall. Silver blinked, and suddenly the chair was no longer empty.
There was a young boy, about thirteen, sitting there. He was leaned over so far forward that it was a wonder that he didn't simply fall right off. His face was completely obscured by his long, red hair, which was tangled and half-covered in a dried, dark red fluid. His black hoodie was splotched in various places with a dark substance, and the cloth was torn in several places, a particularly nasty looking rip across the chest. His arms were stiff, his hands gripping the seat of the chair on either side of his legs, as if it was the only thing that kept him from falling over. He was visibly trembling and making some sort of strange sound; it was as if he was trying to breathe through a mouthful of marbles, and every so often, he would force a burst of oxygen through his nose with a loud snort.
Silver blinked. He didn't want to memory to return. But, he knew he would not be able to fight this one off. This was why he hadn't been to this room in over three years.
A lanky teenager in a torn, black Rocket Uniform approached the memory of young Silver. His brown hair as disheveled and stained with dried blood as the young Silver. The teen gingerly placed a hand on the young Silver's shoulder.
"Silver," his voice sounded rough, as if he hadn't had a drink in weeks. "I'm…"
"Get off!" The memory-Silver stood up suddenly, shoving the younger Mondo back with what little strength he had. Mondo stumbled back, his brown eyes making contact with young Silver's bloodshot, dark blue eyes. "You're just like him! You just stood there! You just watched! You watched him kill the only person who ever loved me! You did nothing!"
"Silver," Mondo's face was frozen in a state of shock and confusion.
"You're just as evil as Giovanni!" The young Silver sobbed in rage. "I hate you!"
And, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the memory faded back into Silver's mind.
Mondo, he thought.
Had he really meant to say that to him? He knew now that Mondo was quite possibly the only reason he was still alive. But…but it was still so easy to blame him for her death. Her murder.
He had still watched and done nothing.
No one does anything for anyone else here, Silver reminded himself. Everything is for their own gain. Even promotions amongst the Rockets are done solely so that Giovanni keeps getting results and keeps his underlings under his control.
Even I am only here…for the purpose of Giovanni's plan for world dominance. Heaven knows he'd never do anything for me…to even attempt to make me happy. Never. He never even bothered to comfort me when…
Silver sighed.
Then, I might as well get this over with.
Silver inhaled deeply, hesitating. After composing himself, he raised his fist and knocked on the large wooden door.
"Enter," A deep, powerful voice came from within the room.
Restraining a groan of distaste, Silver turned the bronze-colored handle and pushed the door open. He calmly entered Giovanni's office.
"You wanted to see me…sir?" Silver tried to put all of his thoughts and emotions into that last word, to make it painfully clear to his father what he thought of being in his presence.
He looked around.
Giovanni sat in a tall, black chair behind a large, beautiful wooden desk. The desk was bare but for a belt with several Pokéballs, two Pokéballs that lay separate, a sword, and what appeared to be a large, folded black cloth. Standing on one side of Giovanni was Archer, in full Elite Uniform, the new white shirt complemented by a Rocket badge on the left side of his chest. On Giovanni's other side stood a woman with medium-length red hair and narrow red eyes, wearing a new dress-style Elite uniform with a similar badge.
Ariana, Silver identified her. Thought she was heading the operation in Sevii right now.
Nonchalantly leaning against the side of the desk near Ariana was Domino, in her full Elite uniform, several black tulips attached to her belt. Her dark expression brightened at the sight of Silver, making his stomach turn in protest. Mondo stood nearby her, leaning back against the wall. His expression was calm. Near the opposite wall, not far from Archer, stood two Agents–one male, one female–and a Meowth. Silver couldn't remember their names, but he recognized the woman's face from a file he'd hacked into a few times.
Miyamoto's daughter, he grimaced. Competence must skip a generation in her family. Those three are bumbling idiots, and cause a lot of our funds to run dry. Which is causes my father a lot of trouble, particularly with his…public identity.
Second thought, maybe they're not so bad.
Back, behind everyone else, stood Dagger. He seemed to have melded into the window, appearing to be little more than a shadow with eyes from his position. The aging, male Lucario's gaze was fixed on Silver, watching his every action.
"Silver," Giovanni started. "I regret that we must accomplish this with such…little ceremony, but we have decided that it's for the best. We want this to be as…safe a procedure as possible."
What? Silver did nothing to hide his confusion.
Giovanni stood.
"Approach."
Would a "please" kill you? Silver glared, though he obeyed.
Giovanni produced a piece of paper and a pen, and placed them on the desk in front of his son.
"Silver Zolton," Giovanni continued with an air of formality. Silver flinched at the sound of the surname, but said nothing while his father continued. "It has been agreed and decided upon that you have not been given the opportunities you have earned and deserved over the past sixteen years."
Silver narrowed his eyes. Where was this going?
"The first step we can make to right where we have so wronged you all these years is…to offer you free enlistment."
"As a Rocket?" Silver's shock preceded his fury at the notion.
"And a rank," Giovanni dispelled his son's rage with more confusion.
"Rank?" Silver blinked.
"As an Elite."
Silver simply stared at his father's emotionless face.
An Elite? My father…is giving me a rank? Power? He looked at Archer and Ariana. I'd be their equal? He gave Domino a quick glance. I would finally be out of her shadow?
I'd be a Rocket, he reminded himself. I'd be an official part of their…villainous scum.
But with power, a velvety voice whispered in the back of his mind. You'd be in control of your own life, you'd be able to leave Viridian much more often. You'd hold authority over the people around you. No more kiddy treatment. No more bodyguards to ditch. No more chains. Freedom. Power. Something worth living for. Maybe even…some closure….
Silver shook his head, trying to ignore the throbbing of a building headache.
"Is that an order?" Silver tried to remain calm.
"No," Giovanni spoke in what had to be the kindest tone Silver had ever heard him use. "This is completely your choice to accept or decline. But, the offer is made, and supported by those that would be your peers, and your direct subordinates."
Subordinates, the velvet voice repeated the word. You'd have people doing what you say. You wouldn't be expect to just be daddy's obedient little son anymore. You'd have control.
Silver felt torn.
I don't want to be a Rocket.
I don't want to be treated like a little kid, either.
Elites have Pokémon, a realization came over him. After a little while, I wouldn't have to hide Fang anymore. Or Venom. There'd be fewer secrets to hide, less to avoid my father's anger for.
"I…" Silver started. "I…I…" He wasn't sure which he'd regret more.
He tried to decide which would give him a better opportunity to really be free one day.
Power. Control. Equality. Respect.
His head throbbed.
Freedom.
"Okay," Silver said before he knew he'd made a decision.
Dagger's eyes softened, Domino turned with a start, and Mondo nearly fell in shock. Silver saw their movements out of the corner of his eye, but ignored them as he picked up the pen–though he could not fathom why–and signed his name on the required lines of the document naming him as an Elite Officer.
Rage and self-hate rose in Silver's chest again as he looked at his signature. What was he doing? Why was he signing himself away? Why?
Why did he feel…proud?
I'm an Elite. The only person I have to answer to now is my father, and he fully knows that I'll always resent him, no matter what bones he throws me.
He looked to his left at Mondo. The older teen was supporting himself with one arm against the wall, mouth slightly open in surprise. Nearby him, Domino gave Silver a smile that made his innards churn with disgust.
"Then, in the presence of my top Elites as witnesses," Giovanni maintained a professional air, "you are now an official Rocket and an Elite. As for your first order, you are to stay here at Headquarters until information needed for your first mission is complete and a suitable squad of Grunts can be gathered to follow your orders during said mission." He picked up the two loose Pokéballs and held them over the desk towards Silver. "As an Elite, you are entitled to use Pokémon, if you so choose. As such, I have personally hand-picked two of the finest Pokémon I have raised over the past several years. These Pokémon will be the beginning of a powerful team, should you choose to accept them."
Silver numbly took the Pokéballs–a Luxury Ball and a Dusk Ball–and stared at them for a moment, before looking up at Giovanni.
Who the hell are you, and what did you do to the bastard that sired me? Silver couldn't believe that this was real. And, can he stay wherever you've put him?
Silver sent out the Pokémon for inspection.
The Luxury Ball sent out a Scyther, and the Dusk Ball had contained a Sneasel. The Scyther tilted his head curiously at Silver, his eyes warm. The Sneasel swiped her claws against each other like a chef with knives, glaring coldly at everyone in the room, before she settled her sights on Silver.
Scyther evolve into Scizor, which are red in color, Silver thought quickly. So, I'll name him Red. Nothing too fancy or unique, but it'll be endearing enough. And for the Sneasel…
"Snea!" The Sneasel barked at Silver's obvious focus on her.
Something a bit less obvious, then. A feminine name should work. Something uncommon. His mind raced. Minerva? I guess it'll work. I'll run it by her and the others once it's just me and the…the team.
It sunk it that his team had just doubled in size.
A few weeks ago, I was a Pokémon-less teen in a world of trainers. Now, I have four Pokémon on my team. If nothing else good comes of this…Rocket thing, at least I'll become a strong trainer, with strong Pokémon. And, no one will push me around…ever…again….
Silver recalled the Pokémon and put the 'balls in his jacket's front pocket. He nodded curtly at Giovanni.
My father has never earned a thank you from me once in my entire life. Throwing me a bone won't change that now.
"I have also heard that you have been training yourself the past couple years in swordplay," Giovanni continued. "As such, I am granting you this blade as your own, personal weapon, to use in your missions as you see fit." He motioned to the sword. "I was informed that you were recently partial to this style of sword, and decided that this particular one would be…personally appealing to you."
Silver picked it up. The sword appeared to be a normal, though broad, blade. However, it curved inward on one side to a point on the other near the end of the blade.
A falchion, Silver recalled. The sword was quite beautiful, with intricate carvings on the hilt and the disk-like shape at the bottom of the handle. The rest of the handle was wrapped in a dark purple cloth of some kind, with a word stitched just under the hilt in white thread. Silver cautiously swung the falchion around to read it.
His eyes went wide in recognition, and he looked up at his father. Giovanni simply nodded.
My grandfather's sword… Silver felt a strange connection to the blade. He wasn't used to caring about his bloodlines, outside of the mother he'd never really met. But…his grandfather had done his best to rebel against Giovanni's mother when she had been Madame Boss.
Before he was murdered….
A new, quiet rage lurked in Silver's heart.
"Aw, look," Jessie nudged James in the shoulder. The motion caught Silver's eye, and he looked over to where they stood in the corner as Jessie continued. "The Boss's twerp is taking his first steps in following his path." She almost seemed to think it was cute.
"Like father, like son?" James said in a quiet, nervous voice. He kept glancing over at Giovanni, who was now looking at the trio without emotion.
Silver shot them a glare.
I'm nothing like this bastard!
"Ah, yes, you three," Giovanni seemed to have only just remembered that they were present. "I now have a new assignment for you."
"Really?" Meowth asked excitedly.
"Your…success from yesterday has brought me to consider new options for you. You are now reassigned; all previous objectives are to be abandoned from this point forward."
The three blinked. Did he mean…they weren't allowed to follow the twerp around for his Pikachu anymore? What could possibly be more important than stealing the Electric mouse?
"You are now assigned directly to Elite Silver," Giovanni went on. "You are to take all your orders from him, before any other Elite or commanding officer, other than myself. Until further notice, his orders to you now have my absolute approval."
I don't need your help to inspire obedience in my Agents, Silver grimaced.
Elite Silver, the words echoed in his mind, creating a strange swelling feeling in his chest. My Agents...
"Agent Mondo," Giovanni turned back and towards the teen. "You have shown a deep loyalty to the Team over the past several years, and towards Elite Silver in particular. As such, you are now permanently assigned to him as a personal Agent, until he either dismisses you, or one or both of you is…completely incapacitated. It is my personal hope that you will show him the same undying allegiance and fortification as I had from Archer and Dagger over the years." He held out the belt of Pokéballs from the day before. "May these Pokémon aid you in this perpetual mission."
Mondo walked forward, staring at the belt in what appeared to be horror. He shook his head and took the belt, thanking Giovanni softly. He bowed his head slightly towards Silver.
"It is an honor to serve you…sir," he spoke in a genuine tone.
Silver blinked, unsure what to say. Mondo had always been strangely interested in Silver's life and health, but never had really shown any recognition that he would one day be following Silver's orders. Silver couldn't decide if he liked this teen, maybe three years his senior at most, calling him "sir."
"Lastly," Giovanni turned his attention back to his son. "You are now presented with new attire, to signify your new position as an Elite." He motioned to the pile of clothes.
Silver gingerly touched them with his free hand, noting the minimal change. The jacket was still black with red markings, though no pockets, and a red bar-like marking on what would be his right side of his chest. The pants were still black, though with a lighter ring around the legs just above where his knees would probably be. He assumed he was still expected to wear a black T-shirt underneath the jacket. There were also new black shoes, slimmer and lighter, also sporting red markings. He awkwardly picked them with his free left hand and put them under his arm.
Silver looked at his father.
Why?
Before he could manage to string to together a complete question to ask Giovanni, Domino started to approach him. She reached out and gently touched his arm.
"Silver."
With a scowl, Silver turned sharply out of her light grasp, and walked out of the office without another word.
"Not exactly touchy-feely, is he?" Silver heard James say behind him as he left.
"Some things never change," Jessie agreed with her partner.
What is happening? Silver's mind raced again. Why is this happening? Why now?
His head pounded with a headache unlike any he'd ever felt before, and he almost dropped his grandfather's sword down the stairs from the pain.
Why did I agree to this?
…
The Flying Temple consisted not only of the caves, caverns and tunnels in the floating mountain, but those in the ring mountain as well. The cave Ash and the others were currently resting in was located in the ring. The stone floor and walls were smooth from countless years of wear and erosion. Ash, Misty and Nyx were sitting near a wall, looking out of the cave at the cliff sides of the Flying Temple. Pikachu was curled up in his trainer's lap, sound asleep. Aura was sitting cross-legged against the opposite wall, head bowed and eyes closed.
Birds flew in the rather large area between the ring and the floating mountain. Some of the Pokémon seemed to struggle with some invisible force that made their path erratic and even threw some of them completely off course.
"That does not look like fun," Ash muttered to himself.
"It's actually quite invigorating," a motherly voice behind him caused Ash to turn in surprise.
"Invigorating?" Ash echoed.
"It means it fills you with energy and joy," Aura said flatly from where she sat. She didn't bother to look at Ash, or even to open her eyes. As if in response to her voice, Pikachu blinked awake, and groggily walked off of Ash, choosing to sit next to his trainer instead.
"I know what it means," Ash narrowed his eyes at her, before turning back to Alya. "I meant, why is it…invigorating?"
"I believe showing you will explain better than words," the Pidgeot chuckled.
"What?" Misty reacted before Ash could voice his confusion. "You do realize that, Chosen One or not, Ash is still human, right? He can't sprout wings and fly."
"No," Alya shook her head. "But, you have Flying Pokémon with you. You could not have found this island any other way, outside of the most random, dumb luck."
"Well, Ash is familiar with the benefits of dumb luck," Misty started with a chuckle.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ash interrupted her.
"I seem to recall quite a lot of battles that you won out of luck, not skill," she smirked. "Some of them were even gym battles."
"That's not true!" He retorted. "I'm a great battler! I made it to the Top Four in Sinnoh! That took skill."
"Guys," Nyx twitched his ears. "I think Sage Alya is trying to explain," he nodded at the Pidgeot with a smile.
"Thank you, Nyx," Alya gave him a warm smile of her own. "First, I'll start by telling you what the Test will entail. This is very simple. Reach the Shrine."
"That's it?" Ash asked. "I mean, the other Temples had the same…but they had…obstacles."
"There's no way it's that simple," Aura agreed, looking up at Alya. "The Normal Temple, sure, but…" her eyes widened in realization. "The Shrine's not in the ring. It's in the floating mountain."
"Oh…joy," Ash seemed to get it.
"Yes, you must fly on the back of one of your Pokémon and find the Shrine in the caves of the floating land," Alya nodded. "But, as you've seen, there are currents of winds and thermals in the crater around the land that make it nearly impossible to navigate for all but the best flyers."
"Wind doesn't work that way," Aura interrupted, raising an eyebrow.
"It isn't a natural phenomenon," Alya admitted. "It is a form of defense that the Flying Orb created to protect itself from…undesirables."
"Wait," Ash looked at his left hand. The gauntlet reappeared, and the Normal and Fighting Orbs glistened in it. "You're saying…that the Orbs are…alive?"
"I wouldn't say they're alive, per se," Alya said softly. "But…they are the physical embodiment and source of the powers of the Elements for all non-Legendaries. Some believe that Arceus gave them the ability to protect themselves. Others think that, over time, that pure, concentrated power…developed a semi-consciousness of their own. Not really alive, but not truly inanimate anymore."
Ash shuddered, and the gauntlet disappeared again.
"So, if the winds are so dangerous," Ash tried to keep his voice steady, "how am I supposed to reach the Shrine? I mean, I've only been here for a few hours."
"That will be made clear to you later," Alya ruffled her wings. "First, you must decide which of your Flying Pokémon will take you to the Shrine. There is only one way to decide; you must fly on the back of each Pokémon you have that can carry you, and test how well they can navigate in the crater. And, time is short. You must start now."
"What?" Misty breathed.
"We just got here," Ash added.
"I agree, and I can't believe the words coming out of my mouth, with Mister Chosen One over there," Aura scoffed. "Shouldn't he rest before he starts pursuing his eternal death wish?"
"Surprised you care," Ash glared at her. "Thought you would like me to save you the trouble."
"No one deserves to die by falling from a great height," Aura grimaced. "Well, almost no one."
"You didn't think that back at the Normal Temple," Ash pointed out.
"I saved you, didn't I?" Aura argued.
"Why did you?" Ash asked.
Aura opened her mouth for a moment, but closed it without saying anything.
"Anyway," Alya brought them back on topic. "The Elemental Orbs are obviously a source of great power. To hold even one outside of its Shrine is to risk great evils coming after you for it. And you hold two. Now, the Orb of Support is difficult for evil to abuse, simply by its very nature. But, I'm sure you've discovered at least an inkling of the great power in the Fighting Orb."
Ash nodded.
"Now, imagine if someone evil got a hold of it, and learned how to exploit its power."
Ash thought of Team Rocket, the real Team Rocket, the gang of evil criminals under the command of a very powerful, evil man.
Giovanni, Aura's voice echoed in his mind.
"I understand," Ash muttered. He stood up. "I guess I'll get started, then." He grabbed a Pokéball off of his belt. "Go, Pidgeot."
Pidgeot materialized in a burst of red light. He let out a bird cry, stretching his wings. As Ash explained the situation to the Bird Pokémon, stroking his feathers affectionately, Aura stood up and brushed herself off. Misty and Nyx followed suite, with Pikachu jumping up onto Misty's shoulder.
"You don't want to come with me, buddy?" Ash looked at the Electric Pokémon in surprise.
"I'm not suicidal," Pikachu shook his head. "Have fun throwing yourself off cliffs, anyway. Because that solves all of your problems."
Aura scoffed.
"What?" Ash turned and looked at her. "What's so funny? What'd he say?"
"No, no…" Aura shook her head. "There are enough parallels here already."
"What parallels?" Ash gave her a look.
"Parallels to what?" Misty added.
"Never mind," Aura looked away. "Fly away already."
Ash looked at Misty. After a moment, they both shrugged, and Ash climbed into Pidgeot's back.
"Be careful," Misty muttered.
"Hey, it's me," Ash chuckled. "I'm always careful."
Aura half-turned back at the words and watched with a shocked expression as Pidgeot took off into the crater. She ran over to the edge of the cave opening, and watched Pidgeot's shaky flight into the wind currents with wide eyes.
"You okay, Aura?" Nyx asked, grinning.
Aura looked at the Shiny Umbreon. Her expression sobered.
"Fine," she said flatly.
He just more like…more…than I thought.
"He died…didn't he?" Misty asked softly.
"Who?" Aura turned to her.
Misty started to speak, but recognized the look in Aura's eyes and hesitated.
"You know," Alya's voice cut off their thoughts. "It's rather ironic that you arrived on the night of a storm like last night."
"Ironic how?" Aura looked at her from the corner of her eye.
"First, because the storm was not natural," Alya started. "I have lived here for years, and have become very accustomed to the various storms. Last night's storm was not just sudden and and unexpected. It literally came out of nothing. My fellow birds did not roost before it hit; they were caught off-guard, and many still hide in their caves and nests in fear of the outright evil power they felt from it."
"Evil power?" Misty asked.
Aura turned completely around to look at Alya, almost losing her balance.
NO!
"I'm not sure where the evil power came from, but it feels as if a new shadow has been summoned to work against the Chosen One," Alya ruffled her feathers.
"A Returned?" Nyx asked.
"What?" Aura took a few steps away from the edge, towards the Umbreon. "I thought your grammar was better than that."
"The Returned," Alya spoke before Nyx could respond, "are the greatest abominations of evil you could ever come across, second only to their master."
An image of a tall, long-haired figure flashed in Aura's mind, followed by the memory of the Houndoom-monster that had played such a large part in nearly killing her years before.
"You mean, like undead?" Aura asked, fear rising in her tone.
Misty looked at her.
Death has wings, the words from the Lucario's traumatized trance echoed in the teen's mind.
"It's a Flying type," Misty made the connection. "You could feel it, too. You knew."
"What?" Aura just looked at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Last night, after I saved you from drowning," Misty clarified, "you went into some sort of trance, and kept saying…weird things. You kept saying we were going to be killed by…something. And a lot of jumbled things about blood. A sea of blood, you said."
"A sea of blood?" Aura rubbed her head. "I don't remember that." She looked down. "Thank you…though."
"For what?" Misty blinked.
"For not letting me drown," Aura said softly.
Misty placed a hand on Aura's shoulder. The Lucario looked up at her.
"Don't thank me," Misty smiled. "I'll always help out a friend."
Friend, the word echoed in Aura's mind.
I have no friends. I stand on my own.
That's not true, a voice countered in her mind. You almost died on your own. Several times, really. You can be independent, yes, but you can't fight this war by yourself.
What war? A darker voice whispered. You don't give a damn, remember? You want him dead. He caused your pain. It's because of him that you still hurt. You could even blame…
Aura shook her head, the ache fading.
She saved me. She could have died in that storm, no matter how skilled a swimmer she is, no matter how experienced. She risked her all…for me.
"Friend."
"Are you crying?" Pikachu raised an eyebrow at Nyx.
"N-nope!" Nyx grinned through his glimmering eyes. He rubbed his face against his shoulder to get rid of the evidence.
"Alright," Aura turned back to Alya. "How else was our arrival ironic to you?"
"Because I also first arrived here on the wings of a storm."
"You weren't born here?" Misty asked.
"No, Lucian and I are all that's left of…of our flock," Alya admitted. "We came here together, though we landed here quite by accident. I became a rather close friend and mentee to the old Sage, eventually becoming his Aide and successor. Lucian, on the other hand, chose to simply better himself for himself, and became the most agile, dexterous and outright beautiful flyer I've ever seen. He could navigate the currents like none other. Then…there was a terrible accident, and he was…hurt."
"It never healed," Aura finished. "And, now he's blind."
"Yes," Alya nodded. "In some ways, he's lost some of the…visual appeal of his flight. But, in truth, he's become better overall, able to feel the wind and breeze and thermals before any other birds."
"When one sense is cut off, the others grow stronger," Aura sounded like she was solving a riddle.
"Aura?" Misty looked at her.
"I think I get it, now," Aura smirked. She turned back towards Misty. "Let's hope your boyfriend can figure it out, too."
"He's not my…" Misty started instinctively.
"Whatever," Aura waved her hands dismissively.
"The Chosen One has been stated in our legends to be highly intelligent and perceptive, capable of great strategy," Alya said. "I'm sure he'll figure it out just as easily as you have, young Aura."
Aura and Misty looked at each other and burst out into laughter.
"The legends really do say that," Nyx defended the Sage. "It's part of the Mark that he bears, what signifies him as the Chosen."
"Nyx," Aura gave the Umbreon a pat on the head. "You've been following Ash just as long as I have. Try and tell me he's some legendary genius, I dare you."
Nyx opened his mouth defiantly, then thought better of it.
"Alright," he chuckled. "So he's no genius. But he's not stupid."
No, Aura thought bitterly to herself. Just uninformed. I can't decide what will destroy him more, knowing or not.
She looked back to the crater, and watched the distant shape of Pidgeot as he struggled to steady himself in the nearly visible, powerful gusts.
Come on! You know you can't trust him! Aura shook her head. I…can't. Misty…Misty, I can trust, I think. Maybe. But, Ash….
He's not evil, a quiet voice whispered.
He can't escape it, Aura sighed. He can't fight his fate, his Curse. None have.
Suddenly, Pidgeot, having returned to an area just below them, flew straight upward. The burst of wind created from his flight being so close to the cavern nearly knocked Aura over onto her tail.
"Holy shit," she breathed.
"He can certainly hold on," Misty watched in mild amazement. "Most people would have fallen off by now. Then again, we're talking about the guy who flew on the back of a…spirited Charizard."
"Charizard?" Aura glanced over at Misty. "Really?"
"Yeah," she smiled. "It might have been a good idea for him to have brought Charizard, after all, now."
Aura looked up at the sky where Pidgeot had steadied his flight path and was now flying in elegant patterns.
One day… Aura's past voice echoed in her memory. One day, we will leave this place. Then, we'll both be free. We'll be as free as the clouds in the sky. We'll fly out of this hellhole…
Together…
…
Silver glanced over his shoulder as he walked slowly down the hall.
He quickly looked forward again, and increased his speed slightly.
They're still following me.
He tugged on his new jacket. He had gone back to his room after the…incident in Giovanni's office, and changed into his new attire. And, when he had emerged, those three had been right outside with Mondo.
And now all four of them are following me around like lost Poocheynas. Wonderful.
His new shoes squeaked softly on the recently waxed floor.
I bet my father sent them to "await orders" or something stupid like that.
Silver sighed.
Well, I am an Elite, now.
He looked back over his shoulder again. He made eye contact with Jessie, then James, then Meowth, then Jessie again, before facing forward.
Should I tell her? No, that'd probably freak her out. I'm not even supposed to know. Everything here is so screwed up.
Silver grimaced.
Damn hallways are way too freaking long.
Silver looked back just in time to see Meowth use James as a ladder and launch pad to jump up and onto his shoulder.
Mondo reached out in vain, mouth open as he tried to stammer out a warning.
"So, kid, er…" Meowth grinned at the scowling Silver. "I mean, 'lil Boss…. Whadaya tink we should do while we wait for da boss to give ya yer mission?"
"Take a speech class," Silver muttered under his breath.
"Whadya say?"
"Get. The. Hell. Off!" Silver barked at the cat Pokémon.
"Geez, ya don' have ta be so rude!" Meowth sounded offended as he leapt off of the teen's shoulder and started to walk beside him.
"Sir?" Mondo approached Silver's other side. "Should I…talk to them? Tell them to back off?"
"I am perfectly capable of doing that myself," Silver's offended tone continued. "They're fine, as long as they stay out of my face." He looked down slightly. "And don't call me sir."
"What?"
"I owe you too much," Silver muttered. "You might not be my friend, per se, but I don't think I could ever get used to hearing you call me sir."
"Yes, Silver," Mondo nodded with a knowing smile.
"You three, on the other hand," Silver looked at Jessie, James, and Meowth. "Well…." He trailed off before scoffing. "Anyway, I suppose I do have an order for you. My father has already ordered you to abandon all previous objectives. What was your previous objective?"
"To steal a really powerful Pikachu from his twerpish trainer and bring it back to the Boss," Jessie said as if it were the most obvious statement in the world.
Could it be…?
"Twerp?" Silver repeated. "Does this…twerp have a name?"
"Wait," Mondo gaped at them. "You've been following that Ketchum kid all these years?"
Project Megavolt, Silver stopped, his hands clenched in tight, shaking fists. I should have known. That bastard! Project Megavolt was supposed to be my starter!
Then, those fools liberated it.
Though, Silver's rage calmed somewhat. I do admire their efforts to bring down Team Rocket. If only they'd actually succeeded, things might have turned out better…for everyone.
And, now I'm in the Team, and in it deep. What have I done to myself?
"Lil Boss?" Meowth stopped just in front of Silver.
"You are not to engage," Silver said in a firm tone. "You are not to engage in any form of conflict, physical or verbal, with anyone, whether they are allies or enemies, without my direct permission or order. Unless your lives are in immediate danger."
"I don't like this kid ordering us around," Jessie muttered to James.
"You heard the boss," James said in a hurried, nervous voice. "The kid's an Elite, and his orders are the Boss's orders."
"This kid's no older than the twerp," Jessie hit James on the back of the head. "Would you follow his orders so easily?"
"If the twerp was the Boss's kid and just made an Elite, then…" James started.
"I said," Silver interrupted, "do not ENGAGE!"
"Uh…" Mondo stammered.
"Listen here, kid," Jessie turned to glare at Silver. She faltered when her eyes locked with his. Silver's eyes burned, not with hate or rage, but something…more. There was a darkness there, and it awoke a fear Jessie never thought was possible.
"He's just a kid…" she muttered to herself. "He shouldn't have…eyes…"
"Do you understand?" Silver said in a low voice.
Jessie hesitated, glancing at James. He nodded once.
"I understand," she finally said grudgingly.
"Silver?" Mondo gave the teen a concerned look.
"I am not a tyrant," Silver's voice calmed down. "But, I am your commanding officer. I don't care if I'm an Elite or not. I don't give a damn that I'm Giovanni's son. But, I am your commanding officer, and I will take that seriously."
"Hey, look who it is!" A deep, scratchy voice cut Silver's off. He turned around to see who it was.
Two Agents, a man with short, green hair and a woman with long, blonde hair, were approaching them.
"If it isn't the loser duo, Jessie and James!" The blonde smirked.
"Cassidy!" Jessie growled.
"And Biff!" James scowled.
"Butch!" The man corrected. "Why is that so hard to remember?"
It really is, Mondo suppressed a smile. I'm awesome with details, and yet…
"What have you bumbling fools been messing up since the last time we had the displeasure of crossing paths?" Cassidy sneered.
"Actually," Mondo spoke up quickly. "They just came back from a successful mission, and were rewarded by being assigned to our new Elite over here for a forthcoming, top secret operation."
"What are you supposed to be, their babysitter?" Butch seemed to ignore what Mondo had said.
"About time they got one," Cassidy scoffed.
Silver glared at them, but remained silent.
"Uh, guys…" Meowth started playing with his tail nervously.
"Actually," Mondo raised a hand. "I'm not in charge of them. Elite Silver here, however, is." He narrowed his eyes. "Elite Silver Zolton. The son of Giovanni, and the heir to the position as Boss of Team Rocket."
"Whatever," Cassidy curled her lip in disgust at Silver. "A punk is a punk, no matter whose kid it is."
"And you losers will be pathetic, no matter how lucky you might get from time to time," Butch added, approaching James.
"Why, I oughta…" Meowth muttered under his breath. He looked at Silver, who returned the gaze, the dark look still clear in his eyes. Meowth grimaced, but said nothing further.
Butch grabbed James by the front of his shirt.
"Look," he smirked. "They're not even making feeble attempts at comebacks anymore. It's as if they finally know their place."
James frowned, but remained silent. He looked over at Silver, who glanced back at him, before glaring at Butch.
"My order still stands," Silver said flatly.
"Aw, lookie at the little Gio Junior here, trying to be just like his daddy," Cassidy pinched his cheek in mock affection.
"Don't. Touch. Me." Silver snarled. "I am nothing like my bastard of a father."
"You've certainly managed to teach these freaks something," Butch said. "Look, they won't even argue back at us, let alone fight us."
"Are you saying you want to participate in infighting with my Agents?" Silver walked up to Butch.
"Who talks like that?" Cassidy raised an eyebrow.
"So what if I am?" Butch glared at Silver, before returning his focus to James. "C'mon. Fight back. Just a little. I'll even give you one hit, on the house. Go on."
WHACK!
James fell to the floor as Butch was flung sideways, letting go of his shirt in the process. Jessie and Meowth were staring at Silver.
"You little punk!" Butch rubbed the side of his face. "You punched me!"
"No shit," Silver said flatly. "Want to discuss anything else obvious?"
Cassidy backed off a few paces.
"There is a very simple reason they were not engaging," Silver said calmly. "Maybe if you used a brain cell once in a while, you'd have thought to ask their commanding officer why." Silver walked up to Butch and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling the Agent in close to his face. "They are complying with my direct orders. And you were trying to get them to intentionally disobey me. Me, their CO, an Elite, and the son and heir of the Boss, as you're so eager to point out. Forgive me if I'm wrong-which I'm not-but that's considered mutiny. In front of his commanding officer, an Elite and the future Boss, no less." A dark rage burned in Silver's eyes. "Now, remind me, bitch. What's the punishment for mutiny?"
"Silver," Mondo breathed. "Don't."
Why is this happening again, already…?
Could it be…?
No…please, no….
"You wouldn't dare," Butch scowled. "You're just the Boss's pathetic excuse for a son. You don't have the balls to carry out that kind of sentence yourself."
Pathetic? A dark voice echoed in Silver's mind. This sad, little insect of a man has the gall to call you pathetic? He's a coward and a fool, and will only impede on your path to what you deserve to be. Best to be rid of him once and for all. After all, it is Rocket law….
Sight red with rage, Silver let go of his shirt, only to grasp Butch's throat in both hands.
"Try me," Silver snarled, as he began squeezing his throat.
Butch made a strange, throaty sound, as he desperately fought Silver's grip for air.
"Silver!" Mondo yelled. "Don't do this!" He reached out and touched Silver's shoulder. "Please…don't…do this. You're not a murderer."
Murderer…. The last word echoed in Silver's mind. It was as if the word slapped him awake. Silver let go of Butch, who fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, gasping gratefully for air.
Silver looked at his hands for a moment, a look of horror on his face. Then, he glared at Butch once more.
"I don't think your argument has merit," he said darkly. "Remember this. Do not cross me again. I'm no weakling. And, I'm not afraid to show it."
Silver turned and continued down the hall. After exchanging a series of glances, Mondo, Jessie, James, and Meowth all followed after him.
"Hey, kid, er…sir," Jessie corrected herself. "That was…"
"Follow my orders," Silver interrupted her, "and I'll make sure you're taken care of. Anyone who bothers my Agents will answer to me. As your commanding officer, I'm responsible for looking out for you. But," he added darkly, "disobey me, or show weakness, and I'll feel no remorse in leaving you behind. I have enough burdens to bear without carrying deadweight…"
Silver turned, opened a door, and locked himself in a room where the others couldn't follow.
"Do ya tink we should tell 'im?" Meowth looked back and forth between Jessie and James.
"After that?" James sounded scared.
"…Maybe not," Jessie gave the door a funny look. "This isn't the scared, defenseless kid that was nearly killed before. There's something outright…dark and vicious about him. I understand being a Rocket has some…criminal traits, but this…. I don't know who–or what–he is now."
"I tink I miss da twerps…" Meowth twitched.
"Yeah," James nodded. He looked at Mondo. "Er, you see…."
"I don't want to know," Mondo shook his head. "I have enough secrets to hide."
He stared at the door, and felt as if he had failed once again.
From one set of chains into another. Please, Silver…find the pure strength of your heart… find the key to your real freedom within yourself, now….
…
Ash gripped onto what feathers he could grasp for dear life.
Pidgeot could manage, somewhat, He ran through the checklist in his mind. Swellow did…okay, though it made me rather nervous.
A burst of wind from an intersecting current caught Staraptor off guard, and they jolted to the side, both of them crying out. Ash felt his grip slipping.
Staraptor does not handle the sudden winds here very well, he noted. He swung his arms around Staraptor's neck in a desperate attempt to stay on the Bird Pokémon's back.
I'm not even gonna try to ride on Noctowl, he decided. He's way too small. Makes him special, I guess, but here that's…
"Naghn!" Ash groaned as Staraptor got thrown around in another burst of wind. The Flying Pokémon overadjusted, and Ash lost his grip entirely. He overbalanced, and slipped over Staraptor's side and down through the air.
Staraptor shrieked.
All Ash could think as he fell was: Oh, great; not again.
He heard the cries of several Birds, and a sharp, upward pull on his arms. He looked up to see Staraptor, Swellow, and Noctowl all gripping his arms and fighting gravity to keep him from falling any further.
"Thanks guys!" Ash grinned.
Their grip couldn't last forever, however, and he eventually slipped through and fell again. He only fell a few feet before he stopped suddenly, with a mild jolt of pain, and felt himself being lurched forward again. He swung himself forward awkwardly, and found feathers to grasp.
"Pidgeot?" Ash asked weakly.
"Gggeeeo!" The Flying Pokémon chirred happily.
"Your timing…is awe-awesome," Ash groaned. "Thanks."
"Pidgeooot!" Pidgeot carried Ash through the rough winds, back to the cavern where Alya and the others were. As they landed, Misty and Alya approached them.
"Geez, Ash!" Misty look frustrated. "How many times are you going to tempt death today?"
"None," Ash slumped off of Pidgeot's back, leaning against the Bird Pokémon for support. "I'm…I…I'd…I've…" He stammered. That still hurts. "I've made my decision."
Staraptor, Swellow, and Noctowl arrived in the cavern together, and landed not far from the others. They chirred and chirped, but said nothing of interest. Ash recalled them, hiding his pain.
"You have?" Alya asked brightly.
"Yeah," Ash nodded. "I think that Pidgeot's the best choice. He's the only one that can fly in the winds at all, though he has no idea where he's supposed to go. And, neither do I."
"At least you picked a Pokémon that can carry your weight," Misty sighed. "It'd be suicide to try to reach the Shrine on the others. I'm not sure why you didn't just pick Pidgeot from the start. He's the oldest, and the most experienced flyer you have."
"Well, forgive me for trying to be smart and try everything," Ash frowned. "Wait. Did you just call me fat?"
"I agree with Misty," Aura said quietly. "Pidgeot is a good choice. A safe choice."
"Are you showing concern for Ash's safety?" Misty smiled.
"No," Aura scoffed. "If he picked any other, I'd be concerned for the world, as it would be counting on a Chosen One with the intelligence of a Pecha Berry."
"I'll take that as not calling me stupid," Ash decided not to fight. "Anyway," he turned to the Sage, "I've made my choice."
"Good, good! Then, you are ready for the next part of preparation for the Test."
"What?" Ash asked.
"Come with me," the female Pidgeot shuffled further into the cavern and down a tunnel.
"I told you he'd pick Pidgeot," Aura muttered to Nyx as the group followed the Flying Sage.
"I just said that I thought Staraptor would have been a strong choice," Nyx defended himself. "I didn't know he'd have a hard time in the winds."
A strange Flying Pokémon Aura had never seen before caught her eye in the poorly-lit tunnel. It was gone before she could get a better look.
"What was that?" She asked.
"Some of the Pokémon here have flown from far-away places, just to train and live here," Alya explained simply. "Now," she continued as they reached another cavern with an opening out into the crater. "You will rest here until dusk, and consider and decide."
"Consider? Decide?" Ash repeated. "About what?"
"At dusk, you will take off on your Pidgeot's back and attempt to reach the Shrine, deep in the floating mountain. But, you will not be alone."
"What?"
"Stop interrupting," Aura narrowed her eyes at him.
"Sorry," Ash muttered.
"You will have a guide," Alya went on, ignoring their little spat. "You will chose a Flying Pokémon from the Temple to guide you and Pidgeot carefully through the winds and in the right combination of tunnels and caves until you reach the Shrine."
"What are my choices?"
"Any Pokémon living here, other than myself and Zeru, may be chosen to serve as your guide."
Aura narrowed her eyes, before smirking.
The real Test has nothing to do with the Shrine, Aura chuckled to herself. Not really. The real Test is in making the right choice.
"Here are some potentially good choices for you to start with," Alya raised a wing, then let out a screech-like cry.
A Fearow, Crobat, Natu, Skarmory, Altaria, and Chatot all flew into the cavern from various directions.
"We come, honored for the chance to serve the mighty Chosen One," They all bowed in unison.
"Pikapi," Pikachu whispered to his trainer. "This is not going to be easy."
Ash said nothing. He simply looked back and forth between the Birds. He tried desperately to hide his flustered confusion, but Aura saw right through it.
And, he's right to be. How could be possibly know who to choose? He's been here such a short time, after all. He hasn't really had time to figure it out. Not yet.
Dear lord, Ash Ketchum, please figure it out.
Who is the right guide?
…
Gary suppressed a sneeze as another cloud of dust exploded from the desk drawer.
"Geez," he sighed. "As if I need another reminder of how long it's been since I've been here."
The study had been left practically untouched for about decade, and the layer of dust on everything gave it an abandoned air. His father used to work in here constantly.
Then, the accident….
Gary shook his head.
Best not to dwell on that.
I'm not here to open old wounds, he reminded himself. I'm here looking for answers. Surely Dad knew something. He and Mr. Ketchum were…sort of friends when they were not much older than me.
He reached in the drawer and pulled out a large pile of papers. He coughed on yet another dust cloud.
Maybe I'll clean this place up. Use it as a sort of private base of operations, while I try to make sense of this whole mess.
Ash's life could be at stake, here. I'm not thrilled at the notion of going so far out of my way to help him, but…I guess we're…we're not enemies or even really much of rivals anymore.
He deserves to know the truth, Gary exhaled deeply. Whether he is really in any danger. Let alone whatever insanity he's actually up to out there.
What is he up to out there?
Gary brushed off the pile of papers. A particularly worn letter on top caught his attention. The handwriting was crude and appeared rushed, and about half the words had worn completely away. Whatever this letter was, it had been important to his father. He read what could still be considered even slightly legible out loud.
"Our plans…Mega…almost ready…boy…doing well…perfect companion…him. Perhaps…should not…involved. Losing…greatest loss…bear…losing grip…leader's heart. I fear…already…Corrupted. I will…best…slow…poison's spread. I…remain…contact with…mission…available soon. Send…my love. Agent Deathblade."
Gary collapsed backwards into his father's old desk chair with a soft whumf!
What the hell does this mean? He rubbed his forehead. Who's their leader? Who's Deathblade? Corrupted?
Deathblade could be a code, or it could be a gang name. He tried to theorize.
What were you doing, Dad? Gary picked up a picture frame and brushed the dust off, revealing the faces of his parents on their wedding day. Who was your leader? What was your mission? Who was this Deathblade sending his love to? What type of love?
I started searching through here to find answers, Gary scowled. All I'm finding is more questions.
There's no one I can ask for the whole truth anymore, he sighed. Mrs. Ketchum isn't telling anything more than she already has. Grandpa's not going to betray her trust, nor would I really want him to. I know he has a lot to do with them coping when…without Ash's father.
Gary stood up and walked over towards one of the bookshelves. He picked up another dusty picture frame and dusted it off with his sleeve.
A young and very much alive Gyles Ketchum smiled up at him. There was a sadness in his eyes, but Gary could tell that he was very happy, too. His arms were gently wrapped around a younger and heavily pregnant Delia.
This could very well be the last picture we have of Gyles, Gary realized.
Gyles really did look a lot like an older version of Ash. Though, there was a certain… toughness to Gyles that Ash just didn't have. Ash had gotten the softer, gentler face and eye shape of his mother. Gyles's black hair was just as scruffy and messy-looking as Ash's now was, but Gyles's hair had been longer, and it had been tied back in a loose ponytail. Gyles's chin was speckled with the slightest stubble, and he had a stronger jaw line, narrower eyes, and a bigger nose.
Gary smiled.
I wonder if Ash would want this, Gary mused. I don't know if he's ever even seen a proper picture of his father. He never really seemed to care about the man's absence in his life.
Unlike I have with mine.
Gary let out an aggravated sigh.
"All I can find is more mysteries and painful memories," he slammed a fist against the nearby wall. "I'm so sick of the obscure scraps, the incomplete histories, and I'm sick of the lies!"
"Gary?" Sasha's head peeked in through the doorway. "What are you doing in here?"
"Asking Dad some questions," Gary didn't make eye contact with his sister.
"Find anything?"
"More questions."
"Sorry, Gary. I miss them, too."
Gary said nothing, staring at the picture, staring straight into Gyles's dark blue eyes.
"Well, Mrs. K and I are off to work on our…project."
"Hmm?" Gary looked up at her. "Okay."
"Don't wait up for me, okay? We'll take care of our own dinner."
"Whatever."
As soon as she left, Gary continued staring right at the picture of Gyles and Delia.
I will find the truth. The whole truth. The real truth.
I'll do it for you, Dad, and you too, Gyles.
I'll do it for Ash.
It's time we stopped living this lie.
…
Ash sat cross-legged in front of the semi-circle of Birds, looking back and forth from the ground in front of him to each Bird. His eyebrows were furrowed. He sighed.
Lucian was flying in circles and figure-eights of various sizes, most of them around either Ash or Aura's head. Sometimes, he would flip backwards or perform some other trick more complicated than simple circle.
As Lucian flew yet another circle around Ash's head, the teen waved his hand at the small Bird Pokémon, which reacted almost immediately and adjusted his path with near perfection.
Aura smiled from where she stood, leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the cavern. She looked over to Ash.
"It's nearly twilight," she said with a smirk.
"Dusk," Nyx said.
"What?" Aura turned to where the Shiny Umbreon stood next to her.
"Alya said the Test would start at dusk, not twilight," he grinned.
"Same thing," Aura shrugged. "Twilight's just more…vague and…all right, it's not as interesting-sounding."
"Dusk sounds better," Nyx nodded.
"Guys!" Ash snapped, glaring at them. "I'm trying to think here."
"Maybe you should try a little harder. A thought might actually form in your head for once."
"Shut up, Aura," Ash muttered.
Aura smirked, but said nothing further.
"And, will you stop that?" Ash tried in vain to shoo Lucian away again.
"Why?" Lucian asked, before flying in several loops and flips before landing elegantly next to the Chatot. The Chatot glared at him. Lucian continued. "I happen to enjoy flying, and just because I can't see exactly how it looks, doesn't mean that I can't turn my flights into sensitive works of art."
Ash stared at Lucian, his eyes narrowing, mouth slightly open.
Come on, Ashura, Aura thought. You can't be this slow.
Pikachu looked at Ash, then Lucian, then Ash again.
"Pikapi?"
"Hmm?" Ash looked over at him. "Hey, buddy."
"Chosen One," Alya walked in with Misty. "I trust you're well rested and fed."
"Yeah," Ash nodded.
"Thanks for the meal, by the way," Misty added. "I didn't know that Berries like those grew here."
"It's a Bird thing," Alya chuckled. "In any case, Ash, I'm afraid it's time."
Ash stood and faced the Sage.
"Time?"
"To face the Test. You must now fly to the Shrine. Or, attempt to, in any case. I have faith you will succeed, though. Have you chosen your guide?"
"Uh," Ash turned back to the other Birds. His gaze stopped on Lucian, but his mind froze.
"Pika," Pikachu brushed his tail against Ash's leg, giving him–and his mind–a brief jolt.
"I choose Lucian," Ash said suddenly, turning sharply towards Alya.
"WHAT?" Misty's voice reached an octave Ash had never heard come from her before. "Ash, he's blind!" There was a momentary silence. "I mean, no offense, Lucian, I have nothing against you."
"It's quite alright," Lucian nodded. "I'm more than used to it."
"Still, Ash," Misty continued. "He's blind. What if an obstacle gets in his way and…knocks him out? You would be without any guide, and you could be sent through a current into a cliff or down into the lake at the bottom of the crater!"
"I will not be knocked out or let any old obstacle get in my way," Lucian jumped up and flew over towards Misty, guessing her location rather accurately.
"I like this," Nyx defended Ash. "It's poetic and unusual. That's what the Chosen One must be. I mean, he passed the past two Tests because of something he didn't expect. He'll pass this one with something no one expected."
"It's more than that," Aura said softly. Everyone turned to look at her. "What? Lucian may be blind, but that just heightens his other senses, right? Including that of touch? Which simply means that he's more sensitive to the flow and minute changes of the wind than the others. He can feel the very currents and where they're going at any moment. It makes him the perfect choice."
"Are you…agreeing with me?" Ash smiled.
"Don't get used to it."
"She's right," Alya smiled warmly. "Lucian is amongst the best fliers here, if not the best, period. His blindness does not cripple him. In fact, it sets him free. Because he has chosen to make it so. You have shown the beginnings of great wisdom, Nyx, much like that of your blood. And, you Aura…it is even more clear to me now why Hikari wanted you to serve the Chosen One."
"I am deeply honored to have been chosen as your guide, Chosen One," Lucian flew over to Ash. "Whenever you are ready…"
"S-sure," Ash stammered. "Pidgeot!"
The Bird Pokémon woke from where it dozed in the corner. With a happy chirr, he flew over to his trainer, and allowed him to climb onto his back.
"There's something…poetic about this," Lucian chuckled. "The least-noticed Pokémon in the Temple is guiding the Chosen One who came out of obscurity. I have a feeling the legends will make us to be more special than we are."
"What?"
"Let's go!" Lucian flew towards the mouth of the cavern. "Stay close behind me!"
Pidgeot chirred in response.
"Brace yourself!" Lucian yelled back.
Ash complied just in time, before Lucian took off into the winds of the crater, Pidgeot following right behind him.
Almost immediately, Ash's ears were filled with the persistent roar of the winds as they ripped past him. He stomach went numb from the sudden drop, as Pidgeot followed Lucian into a down draft. He clenched onto Pidgeot's neck feathers, frantically keeping himself from falling forward and down off of the Flying Pokémon. After a few moments, Lucian and Pidgeot evened off. The wind had brought them so close to the water, that Pidgeot's talons brushed the surface, leaving a misty trail behind them.
Ash's heart skipped a beat as they suddenly lurched upward, the wind pressing against the skin on his face and ruffling his hair wildly.
Glad I don't wear my hat anymore. He thought with a small smile. It'd be gone.
Ash felt an electric thrill as Lucian–and Pidgeot–banked right slightly and dipped down into a tunnel in the floating mountain. The sound of wind grew, developing a sort of beat as they tore past other tunnels and openings, the faint light of the fading evening the only source of illumination. Lucian altered his flight path to the left slightly, and they were lifted up through an opening and back out into the crater. They flew seemingly straight at a cliff wall, when Lucian and Pidgeot tilted their bodies to the right a slight amount, and found themselves in a strong current pushing them down and away from the wall. Before Ash's lungs could recover from the sudden dropping motion, the current jerked them upward, and they flew in a sharp arc to the sky.
As they surpassed the peak of the floating mountain and started to level off, the current slowed, and Ash got to get a glimpse of something besides cliffs and caves. The top area of the ring and much of the floating mountain from that level upward were both covered in groves of trees stubbornly growing in the irregular and rocky terrain. Their green leaves were like the surface of a dark sea in the early night air, the winds blowing them into waves. The actual sea spread from the edge of the beach outside the ring, the real waves rolling gently and reflecting the soft light from the emerging stars and the sharp light of the moon. Ash looked up at the stars, and felt a strange swelling in his chest, the taste of the crisp, clean night air light and refreshing in his open mouth.
Ash had little time to take the sights in, as Lucian and Pidgeot soon arced back down and dropped back into the crater towards the lake. Their wings were clamped against their sides, and their speed increased dramatically.
Dear…God… Ash felt stunned. The sound of the wind again overwhelmed his senses, and he felt another surge of a familiar, yet unnamable, feeling, as the birds flung their wings open and they banked right again. The drop became less steep, but continued, until it evened off a few feet above the surface of the lake, and they flew under the floating mountain. Ash tightened his grip on Pidgeot when he saw Lucian suddenly shoot straight upward, and his insides felt as if they were somersaulting as Pidgeot followed the Pidgey.
Ash's world became pitch dark as they flew up into a tunnel. He felt himself being jerked left and right, but couldn't even see the back of Pidgeot's head.
I hope that Pidgeot can see in here, Ash managed to string a complete thought together. Or hear Lucian, or sense him or some…something…dear…lord….
A sudden burst of light enveloped them, as they came straight out of the top of the mountain, the moon right above them. Lucian made a sharp arc and dropped again, and they followed him into a tunnel right nearby the one they had just left. This one had thin lines of light from time to time, some light blue from the moon outside, others a soft orange, as if from torch fire. Ash felt his head swirl in the irregularity of the lighting and the beating sound of the wind around them and from the other tunnels. Ash felt himself being jerked left and right a few times, some rather sharp and he had to grip Pidgeot so tightly, the bird squawked in pain.
StoptheworldIwannagetoff! Ash prayed in a single, hurried word. His internal organs felt as if they were turning into mush, and Ash could taste the Pecha Berries he'd had at dinner, though more bitter.
The orange light became much more predominate, and his senses began to steady somewhat, although he was still being wrenched back and forth as Lucian led Pidgeot through a labyrinth of tunnels and sharp turns and sudden drops and rises. Ash clenched his eyes shut. Then, with one last jolt straight upward….
Everything stopped.
Ash opened his eyes. They were in a room well-lit in the warm glow of large torches. Pidgeot and Lucian were hovering above an opening, where the angry roar of the winds could still be heard. But, the wind no longer drowned out all other sounds.
"We're here?" Ash didn't think he'd relish being able to hear his own voice so much.
"Unless there's some other room that radiates with the pure power of the Flying Element," Lucian chuckled as he and Pidgeot landed near the opening in the ground.
Ash carefully dismounted, and stumbled a bit as he recovered feeling in his legs and learned to stand again. He steadied his breathing and looked around.
The Shrine looked very much like the ones at the Normal and Fighting Temple. The walls were just as smooth, almost polished-looking, and were covered in the carvings of strange images and runes. In the center, was another silver statue of a cross-legged Riolu, just like before. The Orb it held was a light, sky blue color, and just as opaque, yet clear, as the others had been. The Orb Statue was surrounded by statues of several Flying Pokémon in various metals: Pidgeotto, Spearow, Noctowl, Xatu, Skarmory, Wingull, Altaria, Starly, Chatot, and some Ash had never seen before.
In one corner was another strange statue, like in the other Temples. Made of bronze, it depicted a Riolu standing in front of a human child, the latter curled up on the floor as if he had been thrown down by an enemy. The Riolu stood in a clear, powerful fighting stance, the determination clear in the details of his face. A Dratini was draped loosely around his neck, forever yelling out in rage at whatever the Riolu was facing.
What…what do these statues…mean? Ash's mind still buzzed slightly from the adrenaline. He approached the Orb Statue, and looked into the Orb's blue coloring. Guess I should get this over with.
He inhaled deeply, before grabbing the Orb with both hand.
Holy Ho-oh! What have I done to myself? Ash scolded himself as he felt the first blasts of the massive pain that ripped through his body. He clenched his eyes shut, and tried to ignore it, but the waves of agony kept coming, they kept soaring above every other thought or sensation. It was as if nothing else existed, just a sea of torture. Just as he thought he'd had enough and was going to die, the waves subsided, and the pain lessened, almost vanishing entirely. Ash tried to open his eyes, but found that he couldn't.
Yet, he could still see. It was as if his mind had entered some alternate reality, and he could see without eyes. He was floating, he felt his arms stretch out and away from him. He glanced over…
They weren't his arms.
He had wings.
What.
Ash looked forward again, trying to not think about it.
He stopped breathing for a split second. He was flying–somehow–over a field of grain, the golden crop illuminated by the orange light of a sunrise. He felt his wings–his wings–beat furiously to stay aloft, but the warmth of the morning sun on his face made the extra work trivial. He glanced down at the grain, which flowed in the gentle morning breeze, like a sea of gold.
Birds have it so great! Ash thought. I could die happy now.
As if to spite him, the image quickly faded and morphed into the dull grey of an imposing ravine. His arms–wings–snapped against his side on their own, and he felt himself plummet to the ground.
God, no! Ash tried to will his wings open, to escape the illusion, anything. Just before the dark ground made an acquaintance with his face, he felt himself being flung sideways. The world swirled around him again, and he felt his wings unfurl awkwardly.
When his sight steadied enough to take in his surroundings, he noticed that he was in a forest…a burning forest. Everything was bathed in a red light, and there were the sounds and shapes of various Pokémon desperately scrambling to escape the inferno. He looked in the general direction from which they were fleeing. He immediately wished he hadn't.
A large, humanoid figure dressed in heavy-looking, metal armor was slowly lumbering over to him. Ash wanted to flee, to fly away, to escape the horror and pretend he'd never seen it, but he felt…trapped. He was in some sort of trance. All he could do was beat his wings wildly, hovering in one spot, while the forest collapsed around him under the might of the blaze. The figure raised his hand, showing the large battleaxe it wielded. Ash did nothing as the blade swung at him.
Just as it seemed to make contact, his world went black and he was engulfed in another sea of anguish.
Chosen One, the powerful voice from before echoed in his mind. Ashura…. You who bears my Mark…. Rise…fly….
"Grrraaaaagh!" Ash forced his eyes open, and pulled up on the Flying Orb with all his might. After a moment of ineffectiveness, the Orb popped right out of the Shrine. The pain instantly died, and left Ash feeling drained. He stumbled backwards a few paces, and wobbled back and forth. "I…I…" he stammered. "I did…did it." He held the Orb in his right hand, and looked at his left.
The gauntlet materialized, and the Orb shrunk to the size of an inactive Pokéball. Ash placed the Orb in the spot next to the Orb of Struggle.
The Orb of Sky…the powerful voice whispered in his head, before fading away again.
Ash fell forward, collapsing onto the silver Riolu statue. Everything in his world went black.
"Geeeot!" Pidgeot nudged his trainer in concern. "Pidgeot!"
"He'll be fine, I'm sure," Lucian assured him.
"Pidgeot?"
"No, he doesn't look fine to me!" Lucian snapped. "How would I know? Why would I care what anything looks like?"
"Guys?" Ash came to quickly. "Can you not squawk and argue so loudly?"
"What did I say?" Lucian smiled. "You alright, Chosen One?"
"Ash," he corrected, standing and rubbing his forehead. "And yeah. Other than a headache, I'm fine." He looked at Pidgeot. "I guess we should get back, eh, buddy?"
"Should be easier to navigate, now," Lucian said. "Without the Flying Orb to power the winds, the currents will all but vanish entirely. The air will be natural in the crater again."
"Good," Ash chuckled. "I'd rather not see my dinner again." He climbed onto Pidgeot's back.
"Shall we?" Lucian lifted himself off the ground with a few sharp flaps.
"Sure," Ash shrugged.
Lucian dove back into the opening, back into the mountain's tunnels, with Pidgeot close behind.
…
Aura grimaced.
"Now," Alya raised a wing in defense. "I meant no offense. Quite the opposite, in fact."
"I just don't like being reminded of the night I was brought to Hikari's Keep," Aura muttered. "I don't like remembering the Sages voting on what to do with me."
"You were technically in the shared territory of two Sages," Alya said. "It's natural that they didn't want someone that could have been potentially…"
"Insane?" Aura snarled.
"Remember, I was among those who voted to leave you alone, to let you live in peace," Alya said softly. "I know what it's like to be forced out of your home, force to take what shattered remains of your past you have left, and start over in a strange place."
Aura sighed, but said nothing.
"Hikari just sent a messenger, actually," Alya continued. "Spoke to him just before I sent Ash on his Test. She has a message for you."
"What?"
"She said to not let the memory of the blood taint your view of his heart," Alya spoke cryptically.
"What," Aura breathed.
Hikari… Aura frowned again. You see too much, sometimes. Sometimes the forest is more important than the trees.
"Ash is coming back!" Misty's voice interrupted Aura's monologue.
"He did it!" Nyx's excitement matched Misty's.
Pidgeot landed unceremoniously in the cavern, and the two ran over to greet him and Ash. Lucian continued to fly in circles around them.
"He's a beautiful flyer," Aura said in a low voice that only Alya could hear. "You must be very proud of him."
"What?" Alya gaped at her. "What do you mean?"
"Sometimes I notice too much, too," Aura smirked. She approached the others.
"Sometimes I think you're just needlessly reckless, Ash Ketchum," Misty was scolding Ash.
"He's just doing what he's destined to do," Nyx defended him.
"Besides," Ash chuckled. "It's me we're talking about. I'm not going to die in a way so silly as throwing myself off a cliff after a blind bird. No offense."
"None taken," Lucian nodded, hovering in the air nearby them.
"I'm not going to die," he repeated under Misty's stern gaze. "Promise."
"If you do, I'll never speak to you again."
"Really? I'm hurt."
They tried to remain serious, but soon burst into laughter.
Aura's ears flattened against her head.
I know those words, she thought to herself. How ironic that I'm hearing them again. Here. Now. Everything.
"What was it like?" Nyx asked. "To fly in the Sea of Winds?"
"Freedom," Ash said simply. "It wasn't perfect, and I thought I was going to die a few times, but…" he smiled. "It was the freest I've ever felt."
Freedom, the word echoed in Aura's mind. Of course you'd use that word. The one word that opens some of the deepest of wounds. The one word that has plagued my life for nearly its entirety. My past. Our past.
"When can we return to the mainland?" Aura tried to change to subject.
Alya chuckled.
"I'll have an escort guide your boat back to human settlement in the morning. You came here from Two Island, right?"
"Yeah," Aura nodded.
"For now, though, I suggest you rest and get some sleep. It's been an exciting day, more so for some than others."
Aura scoffed.
"Aura," Ash's voice caused her to turn. "Come here?"
"What do you want, Chosen One?" Aura sighed.
I'm not apologizing for earlier.
"You liked flying here, right?" He asked. "On Crobat? From the beach?"
Aura gave a noncommittal shrug.
Ash held out his hand.
"How about a real flight?" Ash offered. "And a sight you'll never forget. I've never found anything so awesome before. Would you like to see how it feels to fly with a Bird Pokémon, and not on one?"
The Orbs are messing with his head, Aura blinked. And his vocabulary. Though having that increase is actually an improvement, so I shouldn't complain.
"I think Misty would be a better choice," she said flatly.
God knows you need all the romantic help you can get.
"You need this more," Ash's hand was still extended. "Trust me."
Aura looked at him. Her red eyes locked gazes with his dark blue ones.
Don't let the memory of the blood taint your view of his heart…
I trust Misty. And Misty trusts him completely. Should I trust him?
Can I?
He's not the one that betrayed you. He's not the one who tried to kill you. He's not the one who left you to die…alone…
After a tense moment, Aura raised her arm slowly, and gingerly took his hand.
…
Misty leaned back against the railing of the ship. The mist of the sea sprayed her back, and she inhaled the smell of the water.
Nyx, Ash, and Pikachu were standing nearby, discussing their next course of action after the ferry made port in Vermillion again.
"So, the Poison Temple's in the Great Marsh," Nyx started.
"That's in Sinnoh," Ash nodded. "I've been there. We'll have to find a boat or a cheap flight over there. Somehow."
"This quest of yours is going to eat up every cent of my savings from being Gym Leader, isn't it?" Misty grinned.
"That's right," Ash seemed to make a strange connection. "You've never been to Sinnoh before?"
Misty shook her head.
"It's awesome!" Ash grinned. "You'll love it; they're really big on their lakes, and they have a lot of water Pokémon, of course, so…."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Nyx chuckled. "We were lucky the boat we rented on Two Island wasn't damaged. Our funds are running low, and we still have to feed ourselves."
"Some of us more than others," Pikachu chuckled.
"What was that?" Ash looked at him.
"We should also try to decide what Pokémon you want to take with you to the Temple," Nyx kept them away from an argument. "Pikachu, obviously, and Pidgeot would be good choices. Now, if you have any…"
"Hey, guys," Aura walked up to them from the cabin.
"What's up?" Nyx grinned.
"It would appear," she jerked her arm upward, "that we have a stowaway."
Clenched in her hand was the tail of a cloaked, masked Rattata.
A/N: Done! Finished with the Flying Temple. FINALLY! Feels so great to be writing again. Again, I apologize if the writing styles a little rusty. Getting back into the swing of things. I can't promise when the next chapter will be up, but I will be working on it.
And now, you should know by now that I am working on getting caught up on the anime, for accuracy's sake. I'm in the middle of Hoenn/Advanced Gen, and I don't have a ton of time to watch anime. Or write, but hey. And, some important Gen V-related disclaimers. Since this is post-Sinnoh, this fic could kinda be considered pre-Gen V, like the Battle Frontier was pre-IV. So, yeah, no Unova Pokémon will be featured or named, but I'm not going to pretend they don't exist. And, some of the ending stuff I've heard about in the last episodes of DP aren't considered canon/fanon to this fic; namely, Brock did not decide to become a Doctor (he's currently Co-leader of Pewter Gym with Forrest), and Team Rocket did not get assigned to the whole Unova mission. We saw what I've replaced that with here already, so I won't repeat myself. I don't hate Gen V, but my plans for the fic are pretty much laid down already, and I can't alter them too much without dealing with drastic change and rewrites. (Silver's mother is one of these. I planned the whole fic and started writing it before HGSS. So, Ariana's not Silver's mom here. Sorry. We might get the reveal of who she is…or I might be evil. Who knows?)
Also, another general warning, because I want to make this perfectly clear. This is a Mature fic, not just because of the violence, but because I'm going to be touching upon some…touchy topics. I promise to deal with them as tastefully as possible (if I do my job right, you won't even notice that some people might be offended). But, I have to warn you. I can't say what the topics are without spoiling some major plot points, sorry. Basically, if I haven't offended you yet, you should be fine, I'd think.
I'm going to bed now.