Chapter Four: Please Let There Be Good Weather Tomorrow
"I was just thinking how much more there is to learn about nature…about Pokémon… and about my fellow humans as well. If I am to keep living in this, huge wide world. I want to walk this world on my own two feet. To see it with my own eyes. To feel it on my very skin…"
- Steven Stone, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
I wish he was here with me. We could have flown all the way here, and I wouldn't have had to drag my friends into my drama yet again. Still, it was comforting to have them here now.
"This place looks ugly as ever," said Striker.
Grande City, the behemoth of the east. Wood-and-stone houses with dark-grey tiled roofs, pressed together on narrow cobblestone roads. Wooden stables for the cart Pokémon along the edges, some being cleared for the trail of carts coming and going from the eastern and southern roads, carrying goods or, in some cases, Pokémon.
To the west was the wide sloping hill known as King Ash Field, where the Battle of the Dragons had begun. Dozens of Pokémon toiled tirelessly at the scorched earth, fertilising, watering. In some places tiny pricks of green grass were poking out. In some there was nothing but black. Still Pokémon dug, raked, and fertilised in an attempt to salvage it. Burnt down in a day. It will be years before it looks the way it did before.
The buildings climbed higher the closer they were to the centre, reserved for higher-ranking Pokémon, soldiers and diplomats and scholars. Close-by was the watch-tower, a behemoth reaching a Wailord's length into the air. Tucked away between two tall spiral-spired stone houses was a small blue-green house, topped with a deep-green roof curving upwards in the centre, where a thin line of pale-grey smoke puffed out. It was patterned with deep-green patches. Colourful, but not lavish. The kind of home you would expect from a mage.
And in the centre of it all stood Grande Castle. White walls, rounded towards on all four corners, a slate-grey roof, Skarsgard flag flapping. Pristine, yet imposing. Elegant, yet strong. A regal monster of a castle.
"Do we have somewhere to stay?" Alana asked.
"It's a big city, I'm sure they'll find you something."
"And we'll be welcomed here?" Striker asked, gesturing down to his grey-red and pale-pink feathers. "Even though we're not useful anymore?"
The Forest Fires had run into trouble every now again in "civilised" communities. The occasional Ruby travelling alone minding their own business was usually considered acceptable. A group of five showing up announced, asking questions, getting involved? Much less so.
"Pokémon here know us," said Alana. "Hell, they'll recognise us from Alex's book, if nothing else."
"City Pokémon are usually more accepting than small town Pokémon, anyway," Bucky said quietly.
"We're wasting time," Tobias said, already off down the hill.
"Sir yes sir," Eliza muttered.
Alex was strapped to Roy's back. I offered to carry him the rest of the way, only about a mile and a half's walk. I pulled the straps tight over my shoulders, then jogged to keep up with Tobias. The others gave us a few feet of distance.
"I wanted to apologise," I said, "for not telling you about… the incident."
He let out a breath. "I'm just thinking about Alex right now, to be honest."
"I understand. I'll just finish by saying this: I shouldn't have put any more weight on your shoulders at a time like this. I'm sorry, Tobias."
"Okay. Thank you."
The slope flattened onto a stretch of trimmed grass, then onto a cobblestone road, much flatter and neater than the bumpy pathways of Emerald Town (although personally I think that's one of the many charms of the town. Cart drivers feel free to disagree). Guardsmon marched around the perimeter. An Orbeetle and a Pawmot lowered their halberds in perfect sync as we approached.
"State your name, rank, and intention," said the former.
"Professor Khan Buckeye," I said. "Leader of the Atlanta Academy. We're here to see Grande Mage Asa."
"Any identification?" said the latter.
Who the hell carries identification?
"No."
"Is the Grande Mage expecting you?"
"… No."
"We can't let you in I'm afraid," said the Orbeetle.
"Oh, yeah, no problem," said Bucky, "we'll get in touch and arrange another time to visit."
The guardsmon looked surprised, but softened their expressions and lifted their halberds. The orbs on Bucky's antlers glowed. Their eyes turned white, and they gave no reaction as we stepped around them. As far as they were concerned, we were already walking the other way.
But the civilians stopped and stared. They recognised us, I heard our names spoken. The Forest Fires pressed in close, hiding Tobias and Alex from view.
"Are you all right?"
Tobias looked around disdainfully. "I don't like crowds."
I shook my head. "Me neither."
We crossed the town square. Sitting by the fountain, under the statue of Mirko, were a Growlithe and a Beedrill. Two of Alex's old friends, if I recall correctly. They were staring at us intently. I decided not to stop and explain until we knew more about Alex's situation. What exactly would I have told them?
We approached Asa's home, no longer guarded by the soldiers imposed on him, but I imagine protected in other ways beyond my understanding. Pots of trailing vine plants hung from each corner. Beside the door was a set of wind chimes, and on the other side was a dreamcatcher, feathers of a dozen different colours. The bell gave a clear, soft chime. Soft footsteps padded to the door. Two red-and-white eyes peaked out, then widened in shock. I set Alex down, and his silhouette was very clear.
"Help us."
Asa was now dressed in a hay-brown tunic with dark collars and cuffs. The collar was embedded with Gems, arranged along the spectrum of light. Gold thread was sown into the cuffs. His right ear was pierced, a pewter ring studded with a clear white Gem.
The Bulbasaur used his vines to strap an eyepiece around his face. A lime-green Gem embedded into the rim began to glow. Asa closed his other eye, peered at the statue of Alex, looked him up and down, circled around him. He didn't looked satisfied. As he removed it, it shined briefly on Tobias, and I saw his skeleton light up.
Asa gestured to a brass collar fitting with a red Gem sitting on a table beside me. I handed it to him. Tobias cringed as he fitting it around Alex's neck. The Gem throbbed, a slow, searching pulse. No result. Asa looked even more concern. Then he pointed at a cabinet beside Tobias, who opened it.
"The staff, please," Asa said.
Tobias handed it to him, a staff that looked built for an Azurill, the closest thing to a magician's wand I'd ever seen. The only real difference was that the larger end was imbedded with a white Gem, and it was this he aimed at Alex. The Gem didn't glow.
"I need to know what happened."
Tobias recapped the situation:
Light on the horizon.
Travelled to Tenrai.
Archon destroying wild areas, searching for the Epsilon Cavern.
Found the Epsilon Cavern, right before the Archon's Pokémon attacked and kidnapped Mikey, the human-turned-Grovyle.
Found him at the top of Goldenrod Tower, surrounded by pools of bronze water, silver water, gold water.
Where he used Alex and Mikey's soul.
Summoned a Legendary Pokémon.
The hum from Asa's contraptions sharpened the silence between us. I'd known about the Legendary Pokémon for some time, but even my stomach twisted hearing those words again. Asa stared at Tobias as if he' just told him a meteor was heading for the city.
"Do you know… which Legendary Pokémon?"
"A dragon-type," my student replied, "that's all I know."
"A dragon-type buried in the River… could it have been Palkia?"
"He implied it wasn't a water-type."
"How did this happen?"
"The Archon said he needed Alex's soul for something else. That's when Alex stepped into the gold pool himself. He sacrificed himself so he couldn't use him to hurt anyone."
Asa stared at the golden Charmander.
"Don't look so surprised," Tobias said, "he's done it before."
Asa reached a tender vine up, touched the side of his head, just beside his right eye; looked like he was searching for something.
"His Gem is gone," said Tobias.
"What?" the Bulbasaur gasped.
"One of the Archon's Pokémon, we fought, she ripped it out of his head. It's cracked, it doesn't work anymore."
"She… pulled it out of him?" Asa's eyes narrowed.
Tobias nodded gravely.
"Do you have any idea she would do something like this?" I asked.
"You said it looked like the Archon… recognised Alex?" Asa said.
Tobias nodded.
"Do you think Alex recognised him?"
"I think he did."
"That may have been why."
"What does that have to do with Alex's current state?" I asked.
"I am not a soul sorcerer," Asa said, with a faint frustrated frown, "I can't answer that for you."
"What difference does that make?!" Tobias demanded.
"You wouldn't ask a biologist to explain the laws of physics to you."
Tobias looked down at the fang in his hand.
"I tried putting it back in," he said, "like you told us to do with the Gyarados, but it didn't work."
Asa tilted his head as he peered at the jewel. "There's no light," he said after a moment.
"Huh?"
"Soul Sapphire has a faint glow, if you looked close enough. This looks… dull."
"Is there anything you remember about how the Gyarados was trapped?" I asked.
"Only that they were encased in liquid gold," Asa said, "with mention of their soul being transferred to the Sapphire Fang, where it would lie in slumber."
"I think I have the answer," Tobias said.
Neither of us hid our shock well.
"Maybe that's just it, he's sleeping. We need to wake him up. We need to find someone with the right soul," he said, "the same colour as his."
"Are you… positive?" I asked. I didn't want his hopes to climb high and then crash catastrophically.
"No. But Yveltal, what else can we try?"
"But how do we even tell who's soul is what colour?"
"We don't need to," Tobias answered. "Alex has enough friends here. Someone will be able to help us."
"Well then," said Asa, "I'll go round up the troops."
…
We gathered in the Enderpyres' private training hall, a closed-off space masquerading as a storage unit. It was clever. They could practice secret battle techniques without fear of enemy spies watching them, making notes, figuring out ways to counter them. These were the six strongest Pokémon in the Skarsgard army, of course.
It was dead silent as we entered. We were surrounded by angry black walls, smooth, smudged, and sooted, lit only by the multi-coloured glow from Asa's Gems.
"This is the perfect place for it," Asa said as I set Alex down, "the walls are completely soundproof."
"You think someone might be listening?" said Tobias.
"I'd say that's extremely unlikely," he said with a grimace, "but you can never be too careful."
The Victory Hunters arrived first, led by Avalon. The straight-backed Quilava was now a straight-backed Typhlosion, around a foot taller than average. The proud "don't mess with me" confidence still radiated, until she was Alex's frozen form standing before her. Bonnie halted suddenly, Scar crashed right into him. The Absol looked quite different; she now bore a mark worthy of her name, a great big pink-and-red line running from her back-right thigh up to her waist. It looked several months old, healed, but the fur was still shaved around the area. Art the Magnemite, Baz the Octillery, Tess the Foretress, and Nate the Shiny Charmander followed them. Agatha the Dewott had trimmed her hair but let the tuff on top grow longer, a kind of mohawk look. She was followed by a Simisear. Niamh had evolved, too. And taking up the rear was Jessie, followed by Teo. They'd replaced Alex in the end.
Then the Enderpyres arrived. Braze the bulky one-eyed Charizard led the way, as usual. He looked even more haggard than before. Atlas the lithe Charizard with the torn wings was also sporting a tasteful little angled scar on his right cheek. Coast, the Barbaracle, had lost a claw on her lower-left hand. Markus the Emboar's right arm had been updated; it looked as big as before, but sleeker, with less gears sticking out, wooden brown and gold replaced with dark red and silver. Amber the Hex Ninetales also had a shiny new right foreleg of the same colours. She sat down and her tails twitched anxiously. Sapphire the Arcanine came in last, coming to a stop beside her. The air in the room reminded me of relatives crowded around a hospital bed, and I felt like the first healer to walk in the room. Niamh's hands were covering her mouth. The two Charizard hung their wings. It was Avalon who broke the silence.
"What happened to him?"
Asa explained the situation.
"We need a soul the same colour as Alex's."
"How the fuck are we meant to know what colour our souls are?" said Braze.
"You aren't," Asa said sternly, "we're going to try all of you one-by-one. After that…"
"After that?" Markus pressed.
"We keep looking."
One by one the Skarsgards approached. They rubbed his head, hugged him, some even tried sharing their souls through fire-type attacks. Nate stepped up and placed a hand on Alex's shoulder. Nothing, yet again. Then, as he turned dejectedly to rejoin the others, he froze. He turned to face him again. They looked almost a mirror image of each other, two Shiny Charmander, stock-still, expressions frozen in fear.
"Nate?" Bonnie asked. Nate didn't register his voice.
He reached out and touched Alex's hand. Tobias looked down. The fang was glowing. Nate stared at it, unsure what to do. Tobias handed it to him, but he just looked at the Squirtle helplessly.
"In his mouth, Nathan!" Avalon snapped.
Nate slowly, gently, fixed the Sapphire Charmander Fang into Alex's mouth. It was only for a moment, but I swear I saw a stunning orange glow radiating from the Shiny Pokémon's body. The fang clicked into place. Its glow brightened. Then in throbbed, ebbed, then spread out and filled the room, blinding us.
For a few moments, all I saw was orange. Then it dimmed, and I saw gold turn to liquid and melt off Alex's body. It pooled on the ground and when it finally stopped the light faded away. Alex collapsed to the floor, unconscious. My heart stopped. His flame was out.
"Alex!" Tobias cried.
Bonnie charged through, knocking Avalon and Amber aside. He leapt over Alex's body, bent down, sniffed.
"Stand back."
We stepped out of the way just as flames howled from his mouth, swallowing him. There was a faint, almost imperceptible click. Bonnie's Flamethrower faded, and he stepped back. Alex's tail had caught. We held our breaths as Asa gently rolled him over onto his back, pressed his ear to his chest. Tobias got down on his knees, shook him gently.
"Alex?" he said. "Alex, wake up! Alex, it's me, it's Tobias. You're okay now, you're safe. Open your eyes. Alex!"
A hollow pause. Then suddenly Alex breathed in deep, his stomach swelling, his tail fire flickering. He groaned, and slowly opened his eyes. Then he snapped awake.
"WoOah where am I?"
"Alex, oh, thank Moltres!" cried Niamh.
"Do you need something?" Avalon asked. "I'll tell them to run and get it for you."
"We should get him to the hospital," said Art.
Alex just looked to Tobias. "Where are the others?"
…
Tobias went over the events of the last couple of weeks. Gods, it was only two weeks ago they set off. I had this tight feeling in the yellow of my chest when they told me about it. I should have trusted my instinct.
"Wait, which one is the human again?" Tess.
"Mikey," said Tobias, "we only thought it was Evie, until the Archon told us otherwise."
"Her name is Eevee and she still thought she was the human?" said Baz.
"I mean, she told me to spell it E-V-I-E, so— you know what are these really the details that matter?"
"Would you mind stepping outside with me a moment?" Asa said quietly.
With a quick nod to Tobias, I followed the Bulbasaur out the back door. From there we had a view of the northern stretch of Itori, vast warm-hued plains, rusty mountain ranges, and beyond them, the icy stretch of the polar mountains. Farther on sat the northern star of Itori, the faded purple spectres of the Mountains.
Asa shivered. "It's chilly out."
"Winter's not pulling any punches this year," I said, obliging with the small-talk.
"Tough for those sensitive to the cold, eh?"
"I'm just praying for better weather tomorrow."
"How is your new modification treating you?"
I placed a claw against my chin, where the deep-blue-coloured Gem was imperceptibly buried.
"Seems to be working just fine. I checked the scroll right before I left. It's been recording since I set off to find Tobias and Alex. Although it might have recorded a couple of things I don't want others knowing about!"
We shared a laugh. Then Asa looked at me uncomfortably.
"Do you mind if I ask—"
"I've already told you."
"You intend to use it as a method of warning your staff of potential threats while out on field missions, correct?"
"Correct."
"Then why are you hiding them in your office where no one can see them?"
In the distance, the guardsmon marched the perimeter. I heard the clunk of their steel boots on the ground. The clinking of their chainmail. I saw the sharp tips of their halberds. Even sharper, the look of concentration on their faces. They looked prepared for battle to break out at any moment.
"If I die out here, I want my loved ones to know what happened."
"I can understand that. Heck, I've fought in three wars."
"And yet you still haven't learned to swear."
He chuckled. "I fear I am destined to always lose that battle."
I looked back over my shoulder. Smoke, closer.
"Looks like another is approaching on the horizon," Asa said. "We've sent out as many Pokémon as we can afford—"
"It won't be enough."
"Relief work, if nothing else. Not everyone has a friend like you to come and rescue them."
"Are there going to be consequences to what Alex did to himself back there?"
"He's been brought back from the brink of death," he said, "he'll already be suffering the consequences. He doesn't seem quite like himself."
"He's changed a lot since he came back from…"
I gesture around the Grande City.
Two guardsmon stepped in front of a Simipour with a large heavy-looking sack on her back. They bickered for a moment, she tried to step through, and they pointed their halberts at her. The Simipour hitched her bag back up and walked the other way. The guardsmon watched her leave, then resumed their march.
"War forces us to change far too quickly," said the Bulbasaur. "It's destructive. Forces us to grow in one way, but does so by cutting out the others. Real growth requires patience, it requires time."
"Mighty oaks."
"Indeed."
The Simipour tripped and there came a sound of wood tumbling. A Charcadet hurried over to help.
"I want to investigate how soul magic could be used to free Feather and the other silver statues," Asa said. "I'll confess, I had no idea how they could be separated considering their bodies are now fused on a cellular level to the metal."
"Are you sure Feather is still alive? There's no sapphire fragment, where would his soul go?"
"I believe it wouldn't go anywhere. He'd still be in there, in his original body."
"Conscious?!"
"Impossible, thankfully. Your brain requires calories too, you know. There'd be no way of powering it in that state. I imagine it like being frozen solid."
I shivered.
"You know what my question is?"
"Shoot."
"Why gold? Bronze Pokémon become soldiers, silvered Pokémon are neutralised as a threat. But what does gold make you? Why did the Sea Guardians preserve the Gyarados, instead of just killing them?"
"I believe they wanted to use them, possibly for when a bigger threat emerged. Heck, the Skarsgards and the Varias both had the same idea."
"Alex will be disappointed if we can't do anything for Feather," I said.
"So will I."
"Of course, I'm sorry."
"Soul magic can be moved from place to place, but I don't think simply tearing their souls from their bodies is exactly the right move. Gem magic can manipulate matter, but it can't create a new form entirely."
"But there is a kind of magic that can," I said, "isn't there?"
We both look to the north.
"How do you know about this?"
"Is there a way to cut off the recording?" I ask.
"With me present, yes. Hold still a moment."
…
Asa is watching over Alex. Instead of taking him to the hospital, he's giving him round-the-clock personal care. Alex himself is pretending to be okay with the idea. They get along well enough, those two, but I can tell it's still a little difficult to Alex to trust him. Especially when it comes to anything quote "magic-y". I saw him putting on the cloak Niamh had brought him— dark-blue on the outside, orange on the inside— and stopped him.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Out."
"Ooh, I've never been there, what's it like?"
I'm sorry, I just can't help being that teacher sometimes, it's too much fun.
"It's great, maybe there's an old-folks walking group you can join."
"Interesting idea, but I think I'd much rather join yours."
He seemed miffed, but didn't put up much of a fight. Good, because I wasn't having one. He needed eyes on him at all times; we had the Archon a threat from above, Mr. Ayers a possible threat from below, and who knows what lurking out there on the surface.
We wandered off to the winged spindles, known as burning bushes (ooh, be careful with that) just outside the permitter line trod in by the guardsmon, armed and armoured in orange and blue. There were watchtowers along the northern perimeter as well. On the eastern side were the Furnaces, fire-type accommodation, orange light emanating from inside panelled black steel doors. To the west were the Dens, built for dragon-types, stone huts lined with jagged rocks, water echoing from inside.
Alex stopped dead. One of the guardsmon met his eye, and stopped too. Oh Gods. A Hydreigon. Why did it have to be—
"Rei!" Alex cried. He ran to her, hood flipped back.
I breathed a sigh of relief as they greeted each other, started talking animatedly, like old friends.
"You're a guardsmon now?" Alex said.
The Hydreigon nodded. "I started training a few months after what happened to my sister. I tried out as a healer to begin with, you know, to cope, but I just felt like I was only helping Pokémon after they were hurt, not preventing harm in the first place."
"To cope?"
"I was there, you know? I was right there, and I couldn't protect her."
"But you weren't the one who attacked us!"
She clicked her tongue. "I may as well have, the way people reacted. But, no, that's in the past now. I don't care whether people think I'm violent, I don't care if my job now is "fulfilling a stereotype" or whatever. My "aggressive" side was a part of me I didn't like, but I'm comfortable with it now. It helps people."
"Plus, that armour really suits you."
Rei smiled, gave an exaggerated courtesy.
"Stop fucking around, Rei," her Toedscruel colleague called.
"All right, I guess that's time's up. Back to the patrol."
"It's good to see you again."
She smiled. "You too, Alex."
…
We made it back at the Gengar's hour. Mercifully I managed to convince Alex to get some rest. Asa and I shared a cup of lavender tea, and I joined my students in the guest bedroom. I lay down and felt myself drifting off into a peaceful—-
Bang bang bang.
My eyes snapped open. I got up and poked my head out. On the other side, the Victory Hunters, all hiding under blue-and-orange hoods.
"Can Alex come out to play, Mr. Buckeye?" asked Nate.
"It's Professor," Bonnie whispered in his ear.
I didn't hide my annoyance. It was late, and Alex needed rest. The Houndour was looking around twitchily, as if expecting to be caught. Alex's feet slapped heavily against the floor. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"What's up, guys?"
"We're heading out for a bit," said Niamh, "want to come with?"
"Where?" he asked.
Nate looked positively giddy.
"We're going to the Spring."
Reluctantly, I wrapped myself in my cloak and followed them. Tobias came too, of course. Baz's suckers twisted open a monhole behind a bakery. A faint orange glow came through. Agatha handed out torches to those of us bearing hands, and we followed Nate down into a dark tunnel. Tess lay a rim of Spikes around the area.
"In case someone needs to find us," she explained.
"Someone with very hard feet, I would hope," I said.
Avalon chuckled. "They're called boots, country-boy."
The tunnel zig-zagged a little, but eventually we made our way onto a smoother, cleaner path, heading directly east. It looked similar to one we'd walked before. Alex noticed.
"Don't worry," Niamh said softly, "we didn't run into anyone when me or Avalon evolved."
"The Ayers Pokémon have been keeping to themselves," said the Typhlosion. "As they should."
"I'm still suspicious of how little we've seen of them," said Art.
"There's no need to tilt at windmills," said Tess.
"We have enough problems without looking for ones that aren't there," Baz added.
Still, the Magnemite kept their eye on every tunnel we passed. I followed at the back, feeling like an unwanted parent chaperoning a child on a trip out with his friends. Tobias hung back like the awkward younger brother.
"Why have you waited until now to evolve?" Alex asked.
"A few reasons," Nate said, counting on his claws. "One, wanted to reap as much of the growth-hormones from being unevolved as possible. Two, wanted a couple of the others to go first just in case the place wasn't empty." He gave a cheeky grin. "And three… I wanted you here."
"You wanted me?"
"You're my friend. You were the reason I got accepted into the army in the first place. I was a stablehand before you, and not a very good one at that."
"You kept setting the hay on fire!" Niamh said, and the others chuckled.
"I did!" said Nate. "I was miserable, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I never expected to actually become the kind of Pokémon I wanted to be. And, Zapdos above, I had no aptitude for battle, ask any of them, they'll remember."
"We remember," said Avalon.
"See?"
"You've come a long way since then, though," she added.
"That wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you, Alex."
Alex was silent. I imagined he was digesting the idea that he did good as a human.
"You may have only done it because I was a Shiny, but… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned that. I just meant…" He tilted his head. "What's up?"
"It's just… you seem so different."
Nate laughed. "Just you wait!"
White-blue light rose from the floor to the ceiling. Orange crystals grew all around, and the walls were bumpy, almost like a dragon's scales. We fanned out as the light shone brighter. I place my claws behind my back, instinctually formal. Nate stepped up. A veil of light opened. Nate closed his eyes, then stepped inside.
His body lifted off the ground as it was wrapped up in light. His shoulders, arms, knees and legs bulked, his claws stretched and curved inwards; his eyes narrowed while his snout stretched into what was almost a beak. A horn bulged from the back of his head. His tail fire changed shape, like it had been sharpened with a knife. For a moment he was held there, suspended in-mid air.
Then he was lowered back down. A veil of light parted. A Charmeleon stepped back out, stumbling a little. His skin was still gold, but a darker, almost redder tint. Gold from the forge.
The Victory Hunters cheered. Alex had to lift himself up on his toes to hug his evolved counterpart. The Charmeleon lifted him into the air, turned him around. Alex laughed.
…
Art picked up the spikes scattered around, ground them into dust between his magnets. We split off there, the soldier's sleeping quarters being across to the south. Gods, the Misdreavus' hour already? We'll have to be up again a couple of hours. I'm going to insist Alex lie in. Ugh, he'll be annoyed. Well, he can lump it. While he's in my care, he's going to take care of himself.
Ghostly purple fires flickered in the street lamps, dim obstructing light, perfect for Pokémon who by nature live in the dark wilds, by nurture spend their days among the Pokémon of the day. Red, white, purple, black eyes peered through the gloom. Eery, but unthreatening. We were tucked away under our cloaks, but a few Pokémon recognised us, of course. We kept our heads down. Smoke reached into the sky. I wondered if Fitzroy and his… compadre ever sleep. Did they just keep themselves awake through pure rage alone?
"I just wish I knew what he wants…" Alex said, clenching his fists.
"Or what his friend wants," I added.
(We agreed never to use the words "Legendary" or "God" where we could be overheard.)
"This is all my fault," Alex said was we watched the black smog curling up to the white stars.
"No, Alex," Tobias said, "I brought you there in the first place. I'm the one to blame."
"Yet I'm the one who let you both go alone," I said, "when it was me who should I known better."
"I've dragged you into war before," Alex said, "and I'm doing it again."
"Alex," Tobias said, "Malik murdered the Pokémon who raised me. He burned my old home to the ground, and now he's doing the same to this one. This is our war now."