CHAPTER 8

Team Shell Bell took the opportunity to hand Gallade the guild's portion of today's reward money, then headed back to their room to settle in for the night. The two of them laid down together, side by side.

"Feels like each night is just more stressful than the last," Zorian said.

"Yeah," said Rylan. "I wasn't expecting to be given a top secret mission tonight."

"Me, neither," said Zorian, "but at least now I can figure out what the deal is with Steenee. Hopefully."

"She really bothers you that much?" Rylan asked.

"Having given it more thought," Zorian replied, "she specifically reminds me of Diana, the lead scientist of the Team Rocket Research Division. The day I stowed away on her ship to Unova, I paid close attention to her, listened to her as she blathered on and on about that machine. Steenee's way of speaking and mannerisms remind me of her. It's almost like…"

"Like what?" Rylan asked.

"Like Steenee is her," Zorian finished.

Rylan thought to himself for a moment. He and Zorian arrived in this world via Diana's machine, so it stood to reason that the machine could become operable once again.

"But as I recall," Rylan said, "Diana wanted to use the machine to bring Pokémon from this world into hers. Why would she want to send herself here, with no way back?"

"Revenge, maybe?" Zorian wondered. "I don't know her well enough to know if she'd give up everything just to get back at me."

"Probably not," Rylan said. "Team Rocket is too selfish and power-hungry for that."

"Valid point," said Zorian. "Perhaps I'm worrying over nothing."

Suddenly, there was a soft knock at Team Shell Bell's door.

"Hmm?" Zorian asked. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Nidorina," said a voice from outside. "I was wondering if I could spend the night with you two. I'm kinda nervous after what Gallade and Aggron told us."

Rylan and Zorian looked a bit wary at first, but only the Nidorina they knew would remember being spoken to by Gallade and Aggron.

"Come in," Rylan said. Nidorina entered the dormitory.

"Sorry," Nidorina said. "I know this is against the rules, but I just felt like I needed some company." She laid down next to the brothers.

"You've gotten a lot more confident since evolving, I've noticed," Zorian said. "It's strange to see you so scared now."

"I guess some things don't change as quickly," Nidorina replied. "What we've been asked to do sounds like a pretty heavy task."

"It is," Zorian said. "There's no way to soften such a blow. We just have to do the best we can."

Rylan moved himself over, placing himself adjacent to Nidorina. He gently started to rub along her back.

"Thanks," she said.

"I think we can manage to keep cover while doing this," said Rylan.

"I hope so," said Nidorina.

"Aggron said something about books," Zorian said. "Is there something like a library in this world that we can visit?"

"Yes," Nidorina replied. "There's a library in Blistering Borough to the south. It's a desert town."

"A desert town?" Rylan asked. "That doesn't sound very fun."

"Yeah, it's pretty hot," Nidorina said, "so if we go, we need to be prepared for that weather."

"Sounds as good a place to start as any," said Zorian, "and I don't think looking through books will come off as very suspicious to anyone watching."

"Yeah," said Nidorina. "I feel pretty good about that idea."

"Then let's get ready to head over there after breakfast tomorrow," said Rylan.

The three of them huddled together and tried to cast aside their thoughts and worries so they could sleep. They all had a hard time falling asleep, but the company they shared with each other helped them eventually drift off.

As they were slumbering, someone else was fuming. An enraged Magneton made its way to a cave where it could hide from sight.

"Ugh!" it exclaimed. "How did he see right through me?"

"I wonder how many times you'll fail me before I lose patience with you," said a voice. "Wait, I rescind my last statement. I already have lost it."

Deoxys faded into view.

"Quiet, you irksome collection of tentacles," spat Magneton. "Pokémon are nothing more than brainless creatures. They should act as such."

"Doesn't sound that way to me," said Deoxys. "Or are you not angry over your plan being foiled by a smarter Pokémon than you?"

"For the last time," said Magneton, "I'm a human."

"I'm aware," said Deoxys, "and you know how I feel about humans, so if I were you, I'd keep that to myself. Also, I would abandon that disguise; it's likely that the real authorities are aware by now of an impostor."

"Hmph," scoffed Magneton. Its body began to shape shift, changing size and form until it ended up as a small, pink, gelatinous critter.

"You know, that look suits you," Deoxys chuckled. "A lowly human thinking she's better than everyone else, when in reality, she's nothing more than a pretender."

"Silence," said Ditto. "I'm your only chance of getting you out of there, so you are going to continue helping me, or our deal is off."

"And what will you accomplish from breaking our deal?" asked Deoxys. "I'll be around forever due to this rift, while you'll be scurrying about, trying to find information about Folde when several Pokémon are now onto you. I can always find another Pokémon to assist me."

"Grr…" Ditto growled.

"All I want is to escape from this rift and resume what I have started," said Deoxys. "Nothing else matters to me. In exchange for my knowledge and this scale, you will release me and send me to your world." He gently fiddled with the dragon scale he was holding.

"I promised I would let you out, didn't I?" asked Ditto.

"That you did," said Deoxys, "and I expect you to keep it."

"So, then," said Ditto, "how am I going to find Folde now?"

"Why, the same strategy as before," said Deoxys. "We're going to let those guild Pokémon find it for us. We just have to change our approach."

"What do you mean?" Ditto asked.

"You can no longer be upfront with asking about Folde," said Deoxys. "Your personality keeps getting you into trouble. You need to stick to the shadows from now on. Do not reenter that guild."

"But then how will I know when they're going?" Ditto asked.

"I said don't reenter the guild," said Deoxys. "I never said don't watch them from afar. Perhaps you could even…mess with them a little. Spur them along. I recall that one of the guild Pokémon is someone you wish to exact vengeance on?"

"Zorian…" Ditto murmured. "No one crosses me and gets away with it. If he can't find the town for me, I'll make him find it. I'll make him suffer. Then, when he and his pathetic brother are driven to find Folde to solve a mystery they know no details about, I'll be right behind them, ready to claim what is mine."

"Do call him 'Zoroark' around me, would you?" requested Deoxys. "Human names tend to…make me angry. As does yours, Diana."